Rafael Nadal Says He Needs Two More Months

Written by: Staff on 4th September 2012

Rafael Nadal Says He Needs Two More Months

epa03258129 Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his final match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 10 June 2012. EPA/IAN LANGSDON |

Knee injury victim Rafael Nadal is all but out for the remainder of the season after the Spaniard confirmed that he will not play for the next two months in order to let his problem heal.

That means the king of clay will miss next week’s Davis Cup semi-final with the US in Spain along with September and October play in Asia and Europe on the ATP.

As the second week of the US Open began in New York, Nadal’s handlers said the world number three would not play again until the pain in his left knee is gone. Doctors have told the 26-year-old that he is suffering from Hoffa’s syndrome, a buildup of fat behind the knee cap. He is also suffering from a partial tear of the patella tendon at the distal pole of the patella.

“I have to recover and I’ll be back once the pain is gone,” Nadal said in a statement after last playing in a Wimbledon second-round loss on June 28. “I have missed the Olympics and the US Open in the last few weeks, two of the most important tournaments of the year and that I really wanted to play.

“I really want to be back competing and enjoying the tennis tour, but I have many years in front of me and my knee needs some rest. I will be back when I have no pain and able to compete with guarantee.”

After meeting again with his medial team, Nadal added: “I feel better knowing that the evolution of the past weeks has been positive and surgery has been avoided. I will continue to work with the plan my doctors have established to be able to compete as soon as possible in the right conditions. I would also like to thanks all for the support I am receiving these days.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

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