4 Reasons Why Australian Open 2012 Is Rafael Nadal's to Win

Australian Open is THE big start of the season. More than being the place where all the players go back to business, Melbourne might be where a player gives his season the tone, and where players watch each other's improvements and make adjustments.

And of course, the Australian Open champion wins a trophy. But in Melbourne you can also win a pair of wings that will help you fly for the rest of the season.

Far from his injuries of last season, reconnected with passion and the digested stress of his too-many lost finals against Novak Djokovic, Melbourne could be the place for Rafael Nadal to reconnect with victory.

1. Rafa Is Fresh and Ready

World No. 2 Rafael Nadal hasn't played any of the pre-Australian Open events. The Spaniard preferred to arrive early in Melbourne and thus, spent 10 days practicing in the Rod Laver Arena. Getting used to the court, taking his marks and his shoulder injury was far behind him. 

You can then consider that it is a rested and ready Rafa who will be playing in Melbourne Park. 

2. Rafa Overcame His Injuries

For his opening match, Rafael Nadal had a little surprise: a tendon problem in his right knee.

During his after-match press conference, the Champion confessed: "I was sitting on a chair in the hotel, I felt like a crack on the knee...really strange. I stand up. I felt the knee a little bit strange. I moved the leg like this two times to try to find the feeling. After the second time, the knee stays with an unbelievable pain completely straight. I have no movement on the knee. I wasn't 100 percent sure I would have a chance to play."

An MRI confirmed there was no major damage to his knee. It is fit, and that one hour before, the Spaniard entered the court and made a brilliant first match in the Rod Laver Arena and won 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 over Alex Kuznetsov. An easy win.

3. Rafa: 'I'm Here with Great Passion'

Rafa said it more than once since the year has started: He's happy again to play tennis.

Yesterday, the Spaniard said: "I'm here in Australia in 2012 with big motivation, with big passion...I'm happy, I'm practising well, I'm enjoying everything."

Things are clear: Rafael Nadal is not in Melbourne to make up the numbers. And a player who has pleasure on the court gives the audience pleasure and makes sparks.

In Melbourne, Rafa has nothing to lose and everything to win.

4. Rafa's Draw Is Not Too Difficult

Rafael Nadal well entered the tournament after his first-round win over Alex Kuznetsov (6-4, 6-1, 6-1). And the Spaniard is lucky; it seems that the fate has been kind to him. Looking closer at the players he might meet in the following rounds, I see no player creating nightmares for Nadal.

Nadal could meet Ivan Ljubicic, countryman Feliciano Lopez, Davydenko, Nalbandian, Anderson, another countryman Almagro and Wawrinka. The only one he should really worry about is Tomas Berdych. And if things might become harder in the semis where he could meet Roger Federer or Juan Martin Del Potro, "Rafa" still has good odds of winning.

Roger Federer seems to still suffer from a back injury, and as for Juan Martin Del Potro, Nadal beat him just a month ago in the Davis Cup (on clay) and kept a mental advantage over his opponent.