Rafael Nadal: Second-round Romp Suggests Nadal is Back on Track in 2012

In what has already been a very interesting couple of days at Melbourne Park, Rafael Nadal is cruising on the tennis court.

The headlines may currently be swirling around the comments Nadal made about fellow superstar Roger Federer, but it’s time to start focusing on the matches.

His 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 second-round win over Germany’s Tommy Haas was chock-full of intensity. You can tell he’s playing with anger and that’s a good thing. He had 36 winners, which is by far the most he’s had in a long time, and showed some fiery passion in front of the crowd.

Even more importantly, he played without a hint of any discomfort. His knee painfully locked up on Sunday while seated in a chair. It was the exact opposite of what Nadal needed on the eve of the Australian Open.

In addition to the nagging foot injury he dealt with for the majority of 2011, it seemed as if Nadal was too beat up to challenge the red-hot Novak Djokovic.

Yet after watching his performance in Round 2, think again.

On Thursday he was executing flawless sliding stops both with his forehand and backhand. He showed a full range of motion and looked as mobile as he’s been since winning the '11 French Open.

A year after winning "only" one major, we forget that Nadal was a dominating force the previous two seasons. Djokovic is the one who still needs to prove he can win with consistency year in and year out. One incredible year doesn’t make him a lock for anything in 2012.

Thursday was a very positive day for Nadal and his fans, and it looks as if he is now on a collision course to face Djokovic in the finals.

As long as Rafa is healthy, advantage goes to the Spaniard.