Rafael Nadal: What Rafa Must Do to Win the Australian Open

What will it take for Rafael Nadal to win the Australian Open, which he's done only once in his career in 2009?

Here are three things I think will need to play out for him to accomplish the feat.

1. Hope Someone Else Beats Novak Djokovic

Nadal couldn't beat Djokovic in 2011—hell, most people couldn't beat Djokovic in 2011—finishing the year 0-6 against him, including two losses in Grand Slam finals.

Sure, Rafa doesn't have any control over this, but avoiding Djokovic—and the mental edge Djokovic seems to hold over Nadal—certainly would help.

2. Conserve Energy When He Can

If Rafa is going to win, he's going to need his sore shoulder to hold up, which means he needs to finish opponents when he has the chance and make calculated decisions about when to go all out for a ball, and when to just move on to the next point.

He should be fairly rested, having skipped any lead-in events over the last 10 days. And he'll get plenty of time to rest after the Australian, having already noted he plans to take a good chunk of time off after the tournament.

But even with the rest upcoming, a few smooth, straight-set victories would go a long way to ensuring that shoulder is prepared to hold up when the big boys in the game come knocking later in the tournament.

3. Have Fun

Though the comments Nadal made at the end of last year, questioning his own motivation and passion, were overblown, it's nonetheless important for him to enjoy himself on the court, something he's trying to do.

From the Daily Mail:

"

He said: 'What I said was that I played a few matches at the end of the season with less passion than usual. That's nothing crazy. That happens when you are a little bit more tired than usual.

'I'm here in Australia with big motivation, with big passion. I have tried to enjoy the past few weeks, which I did, and I am happy.

'I am practising well and enjoying everything. I will try to be ready for tomorrow.'

"

A focused Rafa with a passion on the court is always difficult to beat. And sometimes, a little bit of fun can go a long way.

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