Rafael Nadal: Why US Open Is a Must Win for Rafa

At just twenty-five years of age, is tennis great Rafael Nadal already looking at the end of the road?

With the talent a player like Nadal possesses, the end is far from over, yet there is another force in tennis that might prevent Nadal from getting back the No. 1 rankings he held coming into 2011.

Yes, Novak Djokovic has taken the sport by storm. This season he has arguably one of the best year's of any player in the history of the game of tennis. This season Djokovic has won two majors, winning both at the Australian Open and Wimbledon tournaments, and starting the year on a 43-match win-streak.

Talk about some numbers.

This 2011 U.S. Open might be the one chance for Nadal to work towards getting back the No. 1 ranking in tennis, as Djokovic has only recently asserted himself as the sport's top talent.

So far in this year's tournament, Nadal is into the second round in straight sets, a positive start for a player that needs both a mental and physical boost.

Physically speaking, and certainly talent wise, Nadal is arguably still the better player of the two when comparing him and Djokovic.

Yet mentally is where the real worry lies for the Spaniard, as Nadal has lost the number one ranking and Djokovic has continued to win matches and dominate the competition. Nadal has also had a successful year, but none remotely close to the one Djokovic has been able to put together.

Djokovic has been on top of the world, signing TV cameras and enjoying the perks of being the new rising star of the sport. Mentally he is as focused as any other player in the field, winning on a regular basis and playing with a certain swagger that Nadal currently seems to lack.

If Nadal was to be eliminated from this year's U.S. Open, and Djokovic was to win the tournament, it would put Djokovic further ahead of Nadal in the rankings and have Nadal continuing to search for answers.

The other key factor that has brought Nadal down has been injuries. Nadal has had several knee issues and seems to have suffered quite regularly from injury over the last several season. Not being able to perform physically certainly can't help Rafa.

With 10 majors to his name and with a good 10 to 12 seasons left if he can maintain his health, there is no doubt Nadal can regain his confidence and continue to win on the big stage. Yet the question remains: Can Nadal stay focused and healthy enough to beat Novak Djokovic?

It might just be a U.S. Open to some, but for Nadal, this is a key tournament. Winning the Open gives Djokovic something to think about and puts Nadal back into the conversation as the best player in tennis.

Will Nadal win several more grand slams? Without question. Will he ever take back his No. 1 ranking from Djokovic if he loses this U.S. Open? Probably not.

The time is now, as Nadal must win to keep himself in the talks as the number one player in the game of tennis.

Follow Luis Batlle on twitter @lbatll1