Winless in Miami, Rafael Nadal back for another try

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – Surprisingly, Rafael Nadal has never won Miami.

It is a surface, says his rival Roger Federer, that suits him better than Australia or Indian Wells – slower, Federer says (at least in past years) and friendlier to both Nadal’s defence and his eagerness to run around and blast his forehand.

Here’s Nadal during his media availability Tuesday.

After losing to Federer in Indian Wells, a cruel early draw both for them and the fans who wanted both to go some distance, Nadal will try in a city whose language welcomes him. If he and Federer meet here, it will only be in the final, because they’re in opposite halves of the draw.

Nadal practiced on the stadium court Tuesday with Grigor Dimitrov and had a full complement of fans, as well as a full team (both Carlos Moyá and Uncle Toni).