Questions Arise Regarding Nadal’s Reported Virus

Written by: Staff on 31st December 2012

Questions Arise Regarding Nadal’s Reported Virus

epa03286586 Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates a point against Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic during their second round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 28 June 2012. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA |

As soon as Rafael Nadal regrettably announced late last week that he would be unable to contest the Australian Open, speculation immediately took hold that the cause was not the publicly cited after effects of a stomach virus but continued problems with the troublesome left knee that has kept the former world no.1 out of action since late June.

However Nadal’s press chief Benito Perez-Barbadillo was quick to jump on such speculation. “We’re not lying to people; we never lie to people; it’s not our style,” said Perez-Barbadillo. “Rafa’s knees are doing well, but he’s got this thing and this thing has stopped him from practice, from getting everything on track.

“The guy wants to play, the guy wants to be back. This is another setback, and let’s be glad that this year is over. Hopefully 2013 will be better.”

Nadal, who also withdrew from this week’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, is reported to have gone down with the stomach virus on December 20 while still at home island in Majorca. While running a fever, he was confined to bed for several days over Christmas and was unable to do any form of physical exercise.

Angel Ruíz-Cotorro, the Spanish Tennis Federation doctor who has long administered to Nadal, confirmed: “Rafa suffered last week a viral condition that caused a gastroenteritis with a high fever for four to five days.”

And Toni Nadal, the player’s uncle and coach added that a Grand Slam event is not the place for a comeback after such a long absence. “It is simply not conceivable that his first event is a best-of-five-sets event; he wouldn’t be ready for that,” said the senior Nadal. “It is true we have been quite unlucky with this, but there is nothing we can do.”

Nadal is now scheduled to make his comeback on the clay of Acapulco in the Mexico Open that starts on February 25, fully six weeks after the first rallies are contested at Melbourne Park.

Nadal was insistent the problem was categorically the virus in the statement he issued from Majorca. “My knee is considerably better and the recovery process has gone as predicted by the doctors, but this virus means that I could not train last week or in the coming days,” he said.

“The doctors say that the images are very good, so that is a big calm for me, but I still feel something. I need to be careful. I need to be focused on how the knee is getting better or worse every day and don’t make a mistake that can be negative for my future.

“Not yet do I have the feeling that I am 100% ready to compete, to say, ‘I’m going to go there, I will be ready to run for every ball, to play aggressive, to do what I want with my legs and then try to play my best tennis to win.”

Topics: Angel Ruíz-Cotorro, Australian Open, Qatar ExxonMobil, rafeal nada, Sports, stomach virous, Tennis, Toni Nadal