Has Rafael Nadal Regained His Rhythm?

Rafael Nadal is heading into the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters as the five-time defending champion. He is looking for his record-setting 6th consecutive title on the clay here. He has got to be beaming with confidence coming into this tournament, especially with the way he's been playing lately, and the fact that clay is his favorite surface.

Let's take a look back at the last two tournaments Nadal has played in: Indian Wells and Miami. At Indian Wells, we saw glimpses of Rafa's old self. He was able to use his powerful, topspin-heavy ground strokes to dominate his opponents from the baseline. However, in his quarterfinal match against Ivan Ljubicic, Nadal didn't quite look like himself, and his risque play earned him a three-set loss, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (1). Nonetheless, you have to give Ljubicic credit, he had an outstanding match.

The week after, in Miami, Rafa looked even stronger. His ground strokes were incredible, and his return of serve was stellar. Nadal hit his way into a semi-final showdown against American Andy Roddick. Nadal won the first set 6-4, and it appeared to be another routine win. However, Roddick changed tactics mid-match, throwing Nadal into a fit of confusion. Rafa never managed to find his bearing for the remainder of the match, losing in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 3-6.

These results may seem subpar, but keep in mind that in both Indian Wells and Miami, Nadal lost to the eventual champion. This says a lot about how well he is playing as of late. Nadal hasn't won a title for about a year now. Without a doubt, he's hungry for this one. Rafa's going to be back in full form this week at Monte-Carlo. This is his chance to prove to the tennis world that he is back on top and ready for Roland Garros in May.