NEARLY 36, RAFAEL NADAL
HAS BECOME THE
ELDER STATESMAN TENNIS
DESPERATELY NEEDS.
BUT WHEN HE RETURNS
TO ROLAND GARROS,
HE’LL BE SOMETHING ELSE:
THE FAVORITE TO WIN HIS
22ND GRAND SLAM TITLE
BY
L. JON WERTHEIM
PHOTOGRAPH BY TPN/GETTY IMAGESDEMOLITION
DOWN UNDER
Coming off a two-major
layoff, Nadal improbably won
his second Australian Open
in February.