Rafael Nadal In Pain, Wins In Chile

Written by: on 6th February 2013
Rafael Nadal press conference
Rafael Nadal In Pain, Wins In Chile

epa03565780 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal gives a press conference on occcasion of a training session in Vina del Mar, Chile, 02 February 2013. Nadal is in this country to take part at the ATP Vinal del Mar, running between 04 and 10 February 2013, after seven months out of competition due to a knee injury. EPA/HUMBERTO GOMEZ  |

The tennis world in general, rather than just Rafael Nadal and his support team, breathed a collective sigh of relief as the former world no.1 successfully came through his first competitive test in eight months after chronic knee problems.

Nadal made a winning return his opening men’s doubles at the in Chile’s Vina del Mar match alongside Juan Monaco, beating Czech second seeds Frantisek Cermak and Lukas Dlouhy 6-3 6-2.

However the 26 year-old Spaniard, absent from the tennis scene since last year’s Wimbledon admitted he is still in pain. “The doctors have said it’s OK and there is no risk of making it worse,” said Nadal.

“My knee keeps hurting. But the fact I am playing here is a thing of joy. It was a great feeling to play again and I’m very happy for doing it with a friend like Monaco in a great atmosphere that we had on the court.”

Nadal will make his singles comeback later today against Argentine qualifier Federico Delbonis, the world’s 128th ranked player. If all goes well he will also contest next week’s Brasil Open in Sao Paolo and the Abierto Mexicano Telcel that begins in Acapulco on February 25.

But the big tests will come in March’s BNP Paribas Open in California’s Indian Wells and the Sony Open on Miami’s Key Biscayne, both of which contested on hard courts that are far more taxing to Nadal’s knees.

“I am not 100%, I need some weeks,” insisted Nadal who through his enforced inactivity has slipped down to fifth in the ATP World Tour rankings. “If it hurts, it hurts and we’ll put up with it. I am here to play tennis, with or without pain. I’m happy to have played an official game, although it was doubles.

“In doubles the effort is always less taxing. We will see how it goes in singles and how my physical condition is. I chose this tournament because it is the perfect time and surface.”

Nadal is still optimistic he will be in contention to extend his record to eight French Open titles at Roland Garros but said: “I know that the first three tournaments are going to be difficult in terms of results but I am going to try everything. I will need a few weeks to see how things improve.”

Nadal’s coach and uncle, Toni confirmed: “The knee is much better, but they’ve told us he will feel some discomfort and lack of mobility until the end of the month.  But it’s definitely getting better.”

Meanwhile the mood amongst Nadal’s peers is not to make snap judgments. Andy Murray, when asked how long it will take for the French Open champion to become a force again, answered: “I don’t think straight away. The first weeks and months back, you would think people will be expecting him not to be at his highest level. They will believe they will be able to upset him.”

Murray continued: “Over time, that aura comes with winning, confidence, people fearing you. If Rafa wins the first two or three tournaments back in South America, that changes and people will be worrying about him getting back to his top form quickly.

“We will just have to see how he does at the tournaments but he will get it back again. I expect him to stay around the top of the game for a few years for sure.”

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