After First Victory In Indian Wells Nadal Knows Playing On Hard Courts Will Be Tough

Written by: Staff on 12th March 2013

After First Victory In Indian Wells Nadal Knows Playing On Hard Courts Will Be Tough

epa03619536 Rafael Nadal of Spain talks about his walk-over match against Leonardo Mayer during the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 11 March 2013. Mayer pulled out of the match due to injury. Nadal also commented on feeling scared when he felt the earthquake this morning in Southern California. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Rafael Nadal fought through his return to hardcourts as he beat American Ryan Harrison 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 at the Indian Wells Masters, But Spain’s knee-injury victim knows that he won’t have an easy job as he tries to step back into the tennis elite after seven months of inactivity.

Nadal showed promise last month on clay with two titles from three tournaments. But cement is an entirely different matter. “After seven months I’m not gonna take crazy risks,” said the fifth seed. “But I am here. When I am playing a tournament, if you know myself, my mentality is try my best in every moment.

“I really don’t think about my knee, but is true that for me today after seven months out of competition is easier to start and play on clay more than grass. Is true that we have the clay court season not very far.”

Nadal, never one to duck controversy, has tried to contain his constant calls for more clay events, the surface upon which he rules and which does the least damage to his dodgy knees. “Anything that I will say not gonna affect in my career. That’s not going to change during the years that I will be playing, I think it’s more medical things than players think.

“Hard courts are aggressive for the body. If the next generations wants to have longer careers and want to finish his careers with better conditions physically, that’s my humble opinion, the ATP has to find a solution and not continue playing more and more tournaments on this surface that is the harder one for the joints and for the knees, for the foot, for the back, for everything.

“But for the first tournament on hard and with the conditions, I don’t expect big results, I’m just here to practice with the other players, compete like tonight I did, have another chance the day after tomorrow.

“That’s very positive for me. I’m happy, and I don’t expect a lot. I take everything like positive thing. For me, today, every victory playing great, playing bad, has a lot of value.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Bnp Paribas, Indian Wells Tennis News, Rafael Nadal, Ryan Harrison, Spanish tennis news