Those close to Rafael Nadal, who yesterday announced he would not be able to defend his US Open title when play begins at New York’s Flushing Meadows next Monday, maintain rest is all that’s required to get the world no.2 back on court and he does not require wrist surgery similar to Juan Martin del Potro and Laura Robson.
Nadal, like Del Potro, has suffered pain in the wrist of his non-racket hand and after keeping the joint in a brace-like splint for the last three weeks, he is not sufficiently able to play double-fisted backhand to contemplate a seven match route through a Grand Slam event.
The 28 year-old French Open champion initially suffered the injury practicing on his home island of Mallorca last month rather than in his last competitive match, losing to Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon seven weeks ago.
Nadal has been in constant consultation with his long-trusted Barcelona-based doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro who has repeatedly maintained it would be an unnecessary risk for the player to attempt to defend his title in New York but the wrist condition is nowhere near as serious as the long standing problems in both knees.
Only last Thursday did Nadal attempt to practice without the splint on his wrist but caution prevented him hitting his famed double-fisted backhand.
However there are high hopes that Nadal will have recovered in time to set out on an autumnal Asian swing to play the China Open in Beijing (starting September 29), followed a week later by the Shanghai Rolex Masters.
And there a few fears in the Nadal camp that he will not be able to contest the year ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals that begin in London on November 9.
Topics: Juan Martin Del Potro, Nick Kyrgios, Rafael Nadal, Tennis, Tennis News, US Open
REST, NOT SURGERY PLANNED FOR RAFAEL NADAL’S FUTURE , WILL HE WATCH THE 2014 @usopen ON TV ?- http://t.co/ws0qzCugW6 @RafaelNadalFC #tennis