Rafael Nadal: 10 Reasons He Can't Win the 2011 US Open

It is no secret at all that Rafael Nadal is one of the best tennis players to have ever picked up a racket.

He's won 46 career titles as a singles competitor, including last year's US Open.

Still, there are threats to Nadal's second consecutive Open championship. He's not nearly as dominant as he used to be, and some of the younger tennis talent in the world has begun to show up.

From a personal standpoint, he should be considered a favorite. What I'm trying to imply is that there are definite threats to this great competitor.

These threats may not be obvious on the surface, but make no mistake—Nadal will have to work harder than ever to measure up.

Novak Djokovic

Let's go ahead and kick off the first couple slides of the show with the two men most likely to beat him (so yes, you can expect one similar to this slide following). 

Djokovic has had the best year in the tennis world in 2011. He did recently get injured at a tournament in Cincinnati, but he should be ready to play in the US Open, which begins on Monday. 

Overall, this is the current stud in tennis. 

His serve won't blow anyone away, but it's so difficult to blow the ball by him, which makes him tough to face. By being so fast, he irritates his opponents into submission, which is rather interesting to see.

For me, this guy is the favorite to win the Open, thus being Nadal's top concern.

Roger Federer

Federer lost in the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati to Tomas Berdych. It's clear that, like Nadal, Federer isn't quite the dominant man he once was. 

What you have to remember is that he's still Roger Federer, and he still has the ability to take Nadal down.

Federer vs. Nadal is a battle we all know about. He's a threat to Nadal, and everyone knows it.

Nadal's Lost Step

Nadal has appeared to have lost some of the steam that used to be in those feet.

His hitting and placement of his hits haven't missed a beat. At this point, though, it doesn't appear his feet can quite keep up as much.

Nadal lost 6-3, 6-4 against Mardy Fish at the Western & Southern Open on Friday. It's true that he'd had a five-hour day prior, but that is a feat that Nadal could handle at one point.

These days, I don't see Nadal keeping up with the likes of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. There are many guys that are coming into the US Open fresh, and in better condition to run. 

Recent Struggles

Nadal has had two very bad tournaments since losing in the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic.

There hasn't been a whole lot to be proud of in those tournaments. As has already been mentioned, he lost to Mardy Fish in the Western & Southern Open over the weekend.

Fish isn't a bad player by any means, but if Nadal wants to win the US Open, that's someone he'll need to beat to do so.

He was also bounced from Round 2 of the tournament in Montreal by the 41st ranked player in the world, Ivan Dodig.

These struggles can get into an athlete's head. Nadal seems mentally strong, but these struggles may be beginning to take their tolls.

Increasing Age

This may not be so much of a concern for this specific tournament, but for Nadal in general.

He's only 25—not old as a human—but that's considered to be "getting up there" in the world of tennis.

This could go hand in hand with his feet slowing down, but anyone who watches tennis has seen a steady decline in some of his performances over the past couple years.

While it is something to consider, it may be the least of Nadal's concerns for now.

New Talent Is Breaking out

Andy Murray, Robin Soderling and Gael Monfils are hungry for a Grand Slam win.

It seems that all three of them can't break the barrier into greatness like Djokovic, Federer and Nadal all have at certain points.

Overall, the ATP world tour has seen a massive pop of talent within the last couple years. This has decreased the pure domination that Nadal and Federer carried for so long.

I fear that Nadal is getting to a point where he's mortal on the tour once again. He's no longer quite the Goliath that he was two years ago.

It's the US Open

Historically, Nadal hasn't been at his best at the US Open—he did win in 2010, but there are always exceptions to the rule. 

In fact, in seven appearances prior to his 2010 title, Nadal never reached the finals, and only hit the semifinals twice.

He's very unpredictable at the US Open. It is where he's committed the most unforced errors.

Recent Inuries

When Nadal was having monster-sized battles with Roger Federer, he was one of the proverbial iron men in the world of tennis.

He's more recently succumb to injuries over the past year or so. Namely during Wimbledon, as he battled through injuries all the way to the finals.

He's really not had anything too severe or so bad that he can't play, but what injuries he's had have definitely left their mark.

Fatigue

This seems to be the most logical reasoning for Nadal's recent struggles in Montreal and Cincinnati.

It's understandable that an athlete in a game like tennis gets tired. They need a break from time to time.

I mentioned in the previous slide that Nadal was hurt during Wimbledon as he played throughout the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. He probably never had proper time to recover and recharge.

I'm not at all suggesting that Nadal skip the US Open to rest. What I am saying is that the lack of rest and inability to regain some energy could cost him in a big way.

He's Just Not the Same Anymore

This may seem pretty blunt and probably a little lazy on my part.

Let's face it—Nadal is just not the guy he used to be. He was once one of the more dominant forces with the best skills and mindset that are key for a man in his position.

Here we are now, where Nadal is mortal.

Players have seen him lose more recently, and Nadal is vulnerable. He can still hit a ball hard and with great precision, but that's not all there is to tennis.

He can't run like he used to and isn't as agile. The years are beginning to catch up to him.