With six shiny trophies sitting safely on his shelf, his Wimbledon whites tucked away for another year and any excess clay brushed carefully from his shoes - Rafa is ready to ride into the USA for the next exciting stage of the season.

As the final preparations take place and all of the players try to squeeze in as much practise as possible, the US hardcourts wait in hot anticipation for the arrival of the greatest road trip in sports.

Although it technically began a few weeks ago in LA, Rafa and the majority of other players who don’t own US citizenship have chosen this week’s Roger’s Cup in Montreal to kick off their hardcourt campaign. As always, every player has much to prove and everything to play for.

For Rafa and his fans, the thought of his US journey is especially exciting, with many twists and turns laying inevitably ahead of us. There are big trophies yearning to be bitten, prestigious titles on the line and many points available for collection; but this is only scratching the surface of what the next few months have in store for us all.

This section of the calendar has previously always proven to be a challenge for Rafa. His recent tendonitis in the right knee reveals how strenuous the season has now become. With yet another incredible clay court run behind him and an unbelievable performance at Wimbledon already in the tank, the physical fatigue will again make it difficult for him to steam full speed ahead in the states.

However, one of the most remarkable things about Rafa is his ability to dig deep and play well when things are at their most difficult and you can sense that the coming months will be no different. Although we know that every single match provides much motivation for our man, things are perfectly placed for him to make a big impact and possibly achieve his best stateside results to date.

With relatively few points to defend and an incredibly successful season already behind him, success seems likely to shine once more upon our guy. His Masters title earlier this year on the hardcourts of Indian Wells showed any doubters that he has the hardcourt game to challenge anybody on the tour and his recent success in Stuttgart has meant that Rafa comes into the US with renewed confidence and safe in the knowledge that his formidable form is continuing.

The improvement that has appeared in Rafa’s overall game this year has impressed even the harshest of his critics. Now with the ability to hit his shots harder, faster and flatter and an increased feeling of comfort coming forward, his game has become much more suited for his tilt at the US titles. Although last year he struggled to adapt to the new more aggressive style of play that uncle Toni had been teaching him, it now seems to have clicked into place, making Rafa even tougher to beat.

Just ask Roger Federer! Talking after Wimbledon, he revealed that he could feel the improvement in Rafa’s game every time they stepped onto the court together. He only needs to glance at the ranking lists to confirm that his Spanish rival is decreasing the gap in points between them. His shockingly honest admission during the Wimbledon trophy ceremony that he felt the need to win the big titles before Rafa started to win them all, was perhaps one of the most revealing statements made in the past year. Although he tried to backtrack and to make light of his comment later, various commentators had already noted it’s importance. Roger had shown the world that Rafa was not only in his head, but that he could feel him creeping closer to his legacy.

The five set Wimbledon final had also made this obvious. By the end of the epic tussle, Rafa had made the many tennis fans and critics, who had previously given him no chance in the match, sit up and pay attention. As Roger became outwardly frustrated by Rafa’s refusal to fold and the journalists all rushed to change their stories, the tennis world shook as it began to sink in what it had just witnessed. Rafa had only narrowly missed out on the prize and had obviously outplayed Federer in an arena in which nobody was ever supposed to come even close to him.

As Federer frantically practises with left handed players in Dubai, he enters the US with all of the pressure weighing down upon his shoulders. Attempting to defend his US open title for the record fourth time in a row, a surprisingly unsuccessful time on the US hardcourts earlier this year in his mind and with over 1500 points to defend in this forthcoming series, any slip up could lead to some awkward questions arising. It could also result in a potential loss of the world number one ranking, which he holds so dear to his heart.

Although if this were to happen Rafa would gladly take over the number one ranking, he can be safe in the knowledge that he will at least come closer to the position, as long as he avoids early losses in his forthcoming tournaments. Although he has given himself the opportunity to really push for the top spot, any points he picks up in the states will be a success for our favourite Spaniard. It really seems that Roger has everything to lose whilst Rafa has an enormous amount to gain, giving us fans an opportunity to not only relax a little, but to perhaps also become more than a little excited about the coming months.

There will of course be other players in Rafa’s path, including many former hardcourt nemeses that he has been fearful of in the past. However widespread injury and a lack of confidence seems to be faltering their challenge at the moment. James Blake has not beaten a top 40 player in normal competition all year, many players are currently switching coaches and Mikhail Youzhny‘s back trouble seems to sadly be ongoing. Although you can guarantee that Rafa will respect everybody he faces along the way, his much improved hardcourt game and the struggles that his opponents seem to be currently facing, mean that he certainly has the opportunity to progress through this US swing with perhaps a little more optimism than he has done in the past.

If he is able to do this, the stage seems to be set for the continuing journey of the greatest rivalry in sports. Despite the odd mention of a road trip, this is really what everybody is talking about. As Rafa twirls his racquet, grins to uncle Toni and fixes his apparently permanent new ponytail, there is just one thing left to say - Let the games begin and make sure you come along for the ride!