Rafael Nadal's vicious cycle has begun.
Two days after Nadal suffered his first loss on clay in 2015, BBC.com reported that he has fallen to No. 4 in the world rankings, giving up the No. 3 spot to Scot Andy Murray.
Nadal lost in the semifinals of the Rio Open on Saturday to lightly regarded Fabio Fognini 1-6, 6-2, 7-5. After the match, he complained of his fitness level as a factor in his defeat.
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"It was a good first set. In general I was missing continuity," Nadal said, according to atpworldtour.com. "I think I had good and bad moments, also physically, which I don't really understand why.
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"I didn't feel so well in my fitness starting in the second set; I'm getting tired before usual. I had no problem with my groin. I was just cramping in many places, which is strange because I've barely gotten cramps throughout my career."
The comments represent another red flag in Nadal's attempt to reclaim the No. 1 ranking. He lost in straight sets to Thomas Berdych in straight sets in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, marking the first defeat Nadal suffered against Berdych in 18 matches.
At the time, Nadal, who spent the offseason recovering from a variety of ailments, said he was surprised just to get to the quarterfinals and that his fitness level was not where it needed to be.
But after a month of work and having to play only best-of-three sets, Nadal arguably should have raised his fitness some - especially playing on his favorite surface.
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Last year, Nadal suffered three defeats on clay for the first time since 2004, although he did rebound to win the French Open.
During the offseason, the 28-year-old and injury-prone Nadal said he intended to play fewer matches per year in hopes of lengthening his career.
But what helped the Spaniard rise to No. 1 was his work ethic. Are the same questions that are haunting Tiger Woods in golf now applying to Nadal as well? If they can't practice as much as they used to, how will they ever get back to No. 1?
But if Nadal does try to practice and play more, how long before he suffers another injury?
Those could be questions Nadal faces every time he loses between now and the French Open in May.
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