American tennis legend Andre Agassi is known for his tennis IQ. One of the most technically potent players on the tour, Agassi has a suggestion for Rafael Nadal who is himself deemed a complete player. The former American ace wants the Spanish legend to “let his backhand fly”.
As Agassi watched Nadal from close quarters as the Spaniard competed against Carlos Alcaraz at the Netflix Slam, the American has come up with a suggestion for the 22-time Grand Slam champion. Agassi says that if Nadal allowed his backhand to move freely, it would have been the best-ever backhand on the tour.
The 53-year-old says that although Nadal has a terrific forehand, he should try making some changes to his backhand. Agassi also claimed that if Nadal allows his backhand to move more freely, he can hit any ball.
One thing I would have loved to see with Rafa over the years is if he gave himself the green light to let his backhand fly. I truly believe we’d be talking about one of the greatest backhands that ever played the game...I think it might help him a lot if he at least releases the beats on the backhand side because when he amps it up there’s not a ball he cannot hit with it. It’s an impressive wing. Andre Agassi said. (H/T: Tennis Majors)
Rafael Nadal eyes strong comeback at Indian Wells
While Andre Agassi wants Rafael Nadal to make changes to his game, the Spaniard would be more focused on performing well at the 2024 Indian Wells. Nadal is returning to the first ATP Masters of the season after missing out on the tournament last year where he finished as the runner-up.
The 37-year-old would hope to make the most of this opportunity and make a strong comeback at the ATP 1000 event. While reaching the final might be a distant goal for the Spaniard, Nadal would want nothing less than a quarterfinal qualification.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion is set to face Milos Raonic in his first-round match. It is expected to be a challenging affair for Nadal who has played only two matches so far this season. At the recently played Netflix Slam, Nadal could not overcome the Carlos Alcaraz challenge. He won the opening set though and might be feeling positive about it.
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