I’m Not Under Pressure – Nadal
The feat is so difficult that it’s been more than 41 years since any man achieved it but Rafael Nadal insists he feels no extra pressure.
The 24-year-old Spaniard says he feels only added excitement as he eyes this month’s Australian Open, where he’ll attempt to become the first man to win four major titles in a row since Rod Laver pulled off his second calendar Grand Slam in 1969.
Twice Nadal has prevented his great rival Roger Federer achieving the same feat, stopping him at the very last hurdle in the French Open finals.
The four-in-a-row chance is Nadal’s and world No.2 Federer, the defending Australian Open champion, looms as the big stumbling block as the Swiss attempts to add to his record tally of 16 major titles.
The pair square off in this week’s Qatar Open in Doha but won’t be sighted in competition in Australia until the Open gets underway in Melbourne on 17 January.”It’s not extra pressure, for me it’s extra motivation,” said Nadal of the chance to achieve a “Rafa Slam” by adding the Australian Open title to his consecutive successes last year.
“The pressure is everyday to play well and keep winning matches and I don’t think (about) winning (the) Australian Open immediately,” Nadal said. “You never know what’s going to happen since it’s going to be a very difficult tournament.”
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