Rafael Nadal advanced to the 2024 Bastad Open quarter-final, and he vowed to improve further as he searches for consistency in his matches so far.
The 38-year-old didn't play enough matches this year, at least compared to his opponent and compared to his previous seasons on the ATP Tour. That's usually where the consistency comes from, and Nadal lacks it.
What the Spaniard means when he says that he hasn't played a lot of matches is that he's lacking matches in terms of hitting his peak because, as Andy Roddick pointed out a few days ago, every tennis player, no matter how great, needs reps.
Per Roddick, Novak Djokovic's lack of reps ultimately hurt him in the Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz. Nadal's level so far in Bastad has certainly been good enough to compete.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be in the singles quarter-final and the doubles semi-final, but there is certainly a level above that he can reach. His match against Cameron Norrie was quite competitive, even though he had a minor slip-up in the second set, where he fell behind 1-4.
A huge five-game rally was a tremendous way for Nadal to finish the match, proving that he still has plenty to give. Getting those reps will unlock that level for him consistently, which is what he's after.
He certainly could have skipped the tournament in Sweden and gone to the Olympics directly, but getting those reps will pay off tremendously in Paris. That's the theory, at least, and Nadal spoke about that after the match.
He has been feeling great, just being out there and competing. There are things he needs to improve on, such as picking his spots better, but that's part of the comeback journey.
"Great feelings. It’s been a while without playing on tour... since Roland Garros. To have the chance to compete well against a great player like Cameron... these are great feelings. I played for moments good tennis. For moments I needed to play more aggressive. That’s part of the journey today."
Nadal's wins in singles and doubles earned him at least two more matches at the ATP 250 tournament. The singles matches are the most important part for him, and he will look to improve even further in that department, adding consistency to his game.
The way he finished the match against Norrie is the way he wants to play all the time, and for that, he still needs a few more matches to fine-tune his game.
"I haven’t been competing very often. Matches and victories like today help to be in rhythm the whole match and put the pressure on the opponent during the whole match. That’s something I need to improve today. Because I haven’t played enough."
A win in the quarter-finals would give him yet another match to work on those details, and given the draw, Nadal might just have a complete week in Bastad. There is a fairly decent chance he goes all the way, which would be ideal for him, both in singles and doubles.