Rafael Nadal has taken plenty of positive swings in Indian Wells.
A three-time Indian Wells singles champion, Nadal has partnered Marc Lopez to a pair of BNP Paribas Open doubles crowns. When he isn't busy on court, Nadal spends some of his down time teeing off on one of Palm Springs' inviting golf courses.
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This week, Nadal has forged an unlikely alliance playing doubles with Aussie Bernard Tomic, who lasted just 62 minutes in a straight-sets loss to 112th-ranked wild card Bjorn Fratangelo today.
The fifth-seeded Nadal has a first-round bye. The Australian Open finalist will play either Guillermo Garcia-Lopez or Guido Pella in his second-round match followed by a potential third-round showdown with Dubai finalist Fernando Verdasco, who knocked Nadal out of the 2016 Australian Open.
Sporting a green sleeveless Nike t-shirt, Nadal drew a large crowd for his Thursday morning practice session.
Though Nadal is never one to look ahead in draws, you can't help but wonder if his Indian Wells practice with Dominic Thiem today could pay dividends down the road in preparation for another Top-10 player wielding a one-hander. Nadal is on course for an Australian Open final rematch with archrival Roger Federer in the fourth round.
Photo credit: Michael Cummo/BNP Paribas Open