Nadal: Winning Easy, Early, is Key

Rafael Nadal is doing exactly what he needs to, in his quest for a 4^th straight French title: winning straight set matches.  It’s no mystery that Nadal’s knees have been vulnerable, and his feet have been prone to blisters, all as a result of his grinding game.  Rafa needs to be in near-perfect health to survive the later rounds at Roland Garros, and by not dropping a set throughout the first 3 rounds, he is conserving priceless energy/”fuel” for his likely semi-final match up with Novak Djokovic.  At this point, no one on the ATP tour can beat a healthy Nadal at Roland Garros; if this straight set trend continues, it will be nearly impossible to beat the Spaniard.  If there’s anyone who can take Nadal, it’s Novak; Federer is more hungry than ever to prove that he can win in France, but after going 4 sets with Albert Montanes, it seems his clay court confidence isn't exactly where it needs to be in order to beat Rafa.