MASON, Ohio — Rafael Nadal hopes his hard work will pay off in a rewarding end of the season, starting this week in Cincinnati and extending into the U.S. Open.
The eighth-ranked Spaniard comes into the Western & Southern Open after losing to No. 4 Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals of the hard-court Rogers Cup in Montreal.
Nadal said Monday that "this is an important week for me."
He adds: "I played OK in Montreal, but every week is a different test — a different story. I'm working more than ever to change the dynamic.