Nadal Not Sure About Playing Indian Wells Or Miami

Written by: Staff on 19th February 2013

Rafael Nadal will not compete in 2012 Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Nadal Not Sure About Playing Indian Wells Or Miami

epa03517832 File -- File photo showing Spanish Rafael Nadal during his match against Swiss Roger Federer at Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 31 December 2011. The tournament organizers announced on 25 December 2012 that 'Rafael Nadal has been forced to make a last-minute withdrawal from the 2012 event due to a stomach virus,' and 'was advised by doctors not to travel or compete due to the illness.' Nadal has not played since June 2012, when he was eliminated in Wimbledon's 2nd round by Czech Lukas Rosol. He was supposed to come back after a successful knee injury rehab. EPA/ALI HAIDER |

There is a huge health question mark hanging over Rafael Nadal’s participation on next month’s hardcourt circuit in the US, with the fragile Spaniard’s presence at Indian Wells and Miami far from a sure thing.

Fifth-ranked Nadal, who missed more than seven months of play due to lingering knee problems, has taken baby steps on clay, competing this month in minor-league ATP 250 cupcake clay events in South America.

Nadal has managed to regain some confidence by winning at the weekend in Sao Paulo against a modest field. He has also reportedly told organizers of a multi-million-dollar payday in New York that he will be there on their hard court on March 3 for an exhibition.

But Nadal himself freely admits that he’s far from pleased with the state of his knees and has his doubts about testing them on the unforgiving cement of North America.

“I think of Acapulco (his next clay event) and nothing else,” Nadal said in Brazil, where he never missed a chance to report on the continuing state of his knee. “We are not in a position to think weeks ahead. We’ll go day by day, week by week.

“Let’s see how my knee responds in Acapulco, we will discuss when we finish all this clay court (swing) what has happened during these three tournaments and what I thought about it.

He added ominously: “Then we will see if we are ready to play in Indian Wells or not. It is not a matter of better rivals or surface, it is a matter of how my knee is progressing. I have no problem playing against better opponents because I accept losing or winning.

“I understand that it’s been a long time since I competed at the highest level. I have had only had two weeks getting rhythm, but I need time to continue to improve and become competitive.”

©Daily tennis news wire

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