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WATCH: Away From the Heart of Action at Wimbledon, Rafael Nadal Begins Prep for US Open 2021

Published 07/01/2021, 11:20 PM EDT

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via Reuters

Away from the flashbulbs and all the action at the All England Club, Rafael Nadal has made a quiet return to action. After a brief vacation, the Spaniard was seen preparing for the US Open.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who took a break from tennis after a grueling clay season, dropped hints that he may not play the Wimbledon Championships and Tokyo Olympics. Notably, Nadal’s clay season ended in major disappointment as he succumbed to a semi-final loss at Roland Garros against arch-rival Novak Djokovic.

Through a series of tweets later, the ‘King of Clay’ announced his withdrawal from All England and the Tokyo Games. As per Nadal, the decision, though incredibly hard, given the passion with which he has represented his country at these marquee events, had to be taken in interest of his health and longevity in the sport.

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However, refreshed and rested, Rafael Nadal is now back doing what he does best.

Rafael Nadal is seen hitting with coach Carlos Moya in new clip

A clip has surfaced on social media showing Rafael Nadal going through the paces on a practice court along with his coach and former Grand Slam champion Carlos Moya.

Under bright skies at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, the Spaniard is seen whipping his forehands. He is also seen at the net, sharpening his volleying skills.

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While he starts off with casual shot-making, the Spaniard slowly moves through the gears and goes full tilt.

Nadal determined to win 21st Grand Slam at US Open

Having failed in his quest to lift his 14th career Roland-Garros and go past old foe Roger Federer’s career Grand Slam title haul of 20, Nadal will be determined to rise from the disappointment of the French Open and gun for his 21st at the Flushing Meadows.

The Spaniard recovered from an initial slip-up on clay that saw him crash out in the quarter-finals at Monte-Carlo Masters to win his 12th career Barcelona Open title.

After a shock exit in Madrid, Nadal brought his clay season back on track with a 10th career title in Rome.

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via Reuters

Watch this story: When Novak Djokovic Called Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal the GOAT

Up against Djokovic in the Rome final, Rafael Nadal prevailed in three sets.

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WATCH: Rafael Nadal’s Top Shots of 2020

However, the Serb had his own back in the last four at Roland-Garros, beating the 13-time champion in four absorbing sets.

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Written by:

Priyabrata Chowdhury

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Priyabrata Chowdhury is a tennis author for EssentiallySports. He has been a print journalist for a decade, producing news pages for leading national dailies such as the Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express. His passion for sports eventually drove him to tennis writing.
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