It's a Rafa Slam: Lendl

Updated on: 15 January,2011 07:22 AM IST |
PA Sport |

Eight-time Grand Slam title winner Ivan Lendl believes Rafael Nadal will overcome recent illness to win back the Australian Open title over the next fortnight

Eight-time Grand Slam title winner Ivan Lendl believes Rafael Nadal will overcome recent illness to win back the Australian Open title over the next fortnight.

Ivan Lendl

Nadal heads into the year's first major under a slight fitness cloud after picking up a virus while in Doha, but Lendl nevertheless believes the 2009 champion can complete a remarkable 'Rafa Slam' and hold all four grand slam titles at the same time.

"Rafa has improved periodically, and that's why he's number one at the moment," the 1989 and 1990 Australian Open champion said at today's draw.

"Roger (Federer) has started playing a bit better towards the second half of last season, and I think (Robin) Soderling, (Andy) Murray, and (Novak) Djokovic have been improving, trying to close the gap," Nadal drew Brazilian Marcos Daniel in the opening round and looks to have a relatively comfortable path to the quarter- finals with compatriot David Ferrer and Russian Mikhail Youzhny the only top-10 seeds in his quarter.

Soderling, the only man to have beaten Nadal at Roland Garros, looms as a possible semi-final opponent, but the draw itself has not affected Lendl's thoughts on who should go into the tournament as favourite.

"To me, the draw did not in any way influence who is going to have the best chance," he said.
"You can never look past Roger. Obviously he has a fantastic record in the past, and he's still a top player. But Rafa is a little bit of a favourite in my mind."