I think that Nadal could very well come back and pass up Djokovic, Federer, and Murray, even if all three of those guys are playing well during 2013-2014. He may not do it, but I do not think him regaining the top spot is a very remote possibility. He's that good and though he may have lost a bit of explosiveness in his movement about the court, Nadal has become a much more complete player over the years. He's smarter and more efficient. Just look at how he has adjusted his game at Wimbledon for example, having improved his net play and becoming a better returner, moving in closer to the baseline, etc. His serve has improved as well. He's now a smarter, better player overall than he was in his early 20's. So, once he comes back, he's going to be in the mix almost certainly in my opinion. I could be wrong of course, but I'd be surprised if he returns and basically flames out or even stays at #3 or #4. Of course he may not return to #1, but to say he DEFINITELY will not regain the top spot is more problematic than to say he has a good shot at regaining the top spot. If you asked Murray, Federer, or Djokovic if they would count Nadal out, it would be a unanimous no.
