Rafael Nadal: 10 Reasons He'll Be No. 1 Again

Rafael Nadal is currently the No. 2 tennis player in the world after relinquishing his No. 1 ranking for the second time this summer.

This time it was the suddenly unbeatable and infinitely likable Novak Djokovic who stole his crown. 

In the summer of 2009, Roger Federer regained his No. 1 ranking from Nadal, but the Spaniard turned in a dominant 2010 summer to return to the top.

Nadal may not get the top ranking back right away, but he'll certainly be No. 1 again. Here are 10 reasons why.

10. Health

In 2009, knee problems set Rafa Nadal back and allowed Roger Federer to regain the No. 1 ranking. 

This time around, Rafa has no such problems. He's learned to rest and skip some of the smaller tournaments, so his body doesn't fail him. Because of it, he doesn't wear out, and he's able to run across the court as much as he needs to.

He suffered a hamstring tear in January in the Australian Open, but he's shown no signs of problems since then. 

9. Great Form

People thought the 2008 Rafa Nadal who won the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympic gold medal could be one of the best ever. 

Then, when Nadal came back in 2010, he was even better.

He came back healthier, with a better serve and the ability to get to any ball and hit any shot.  

8. Always Improving

What's even worse about Rafa coming back stronger than ever last summer is that he's nowhere near done.

Nadal is always looking for ways to improve his game, whether it's his serve or his net game. He's not just an extremely talented tennis player; he's also never content with what he's done in the past. 

7. Fans

In tennis, the fans really do play a huge part in a player's performance. 

Novak Djokovic long lamented that he never received fan support in the Grand Slams, and now that he does, he's playing better in part because of it. 

Rafa has always had fan sport wherever he played. Nadal is one of those players that all the fans love, and that won't stop any time soon. 

6. All-Surface Player

Rafa Nadal used to be known as a clay-court player only. He transitioned well onto the grass of Wimbledon but struggled for a few years on the hard courts.

That is not the case anymore. 

He may not be quite as comfortable in the Australian or US Open, though he's won both, but he's not showing any weaknesses. 

He has a better all-around game, and he's able to translate it to any surface.

5. Becoming a Smarter Player

Toni Nadal, Rafa's uncle, has coached Rafa since he was a child. Now that Nadal is 25 years old, he's starting to take some of the coaching reins himself. 

He can change his game plan during a match if he needs to, and he can recognize and attack his opponents' weaknesses on his own. 

4. Wants to Win Every Match

Rafa Nadal just turned 25 in June, and he already has ten majors, a career Grand Slam, and an Olympic gold to his name. 

He wants more, though. He may not say he wants to be No. 1 in the world, but he certainly wants to win each and every tournament he's in, and those wins translate into points in the rankings.

He plays every point like it's match point, and that makes him very hard to beat. 

3. Novak Djokovic Showing Wear and Tear

Novak Djokovic has a measly two losses on his record this calendar year, but he's started to show some wear and tear after his Wimbledon victory and his ascent to No. 1 in the world. 

Novak is battling a shoulder injury during the 2011 US Open, and Rafa is not so far behind that he couldn't catch up very soon. 

2. He Just Needs to Beat Novak

While Novak Djokovic has lost just twice all year, most of Rafa Nadal's losses have come at the Djoker's hands, and only one came in a Grand Slam. 

Other than against Novak, Rafa has typically been as dominant as ever. 

Novak's form is not so far ahead of Rafa's right now that the Spaniard couldn't beat him were the two to meet in the 2011 US Open final. 

1. The No. 1 Ranking Will Change Hands a Lot

Neither Rafa Nadal nor Novak Djokovic is Roger Federer. No one will sit atop the rankings for more than two years straight.

The No. 1 ranking is going to change hands a lot in the next few years, and Rafa and Novak will likely be the top two candidates fighting over it, with Andy Murray always a possibility, even if it's a slim one.