Rafael Nadal to Relax Before Playing Wimbledon

Written by: Staff on 18th June 2012

Rafael Nadal to Relax Before Playing Wimbledon

epa03265053 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal returns to Lukas Lacko from Slovakia during their match at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle/Westfalen, Germany, 14 June 2012. EPA/CHRISTIAN WEISCHE |

Rafael Nadal will call a halt to tennis over the next few days as the No. 2 prepares to step onto grass at Wimbledon this week for final practice.

After a quarter-final exit on grass in Halle, Germany, just four days after winning a record seventh French Open, the Spaniard is more interested in polishing his fishing skills than having an immediate hit.

Nadal doesn’t plan to pick up a racquet during his pause. “I cannot practice on grass (in Mallorca) so it’s better if I don’t practice for a few days,” he said after losing in Halle to Philipp Kohlschreiber. “I’ve played enough tennis for the last couple of months. I’m very happy with how I’ve been playing the whole season.

“It’s the time to rest a little bit, to be at home with family and friends, to enjoy the weather in Mallorca, relax. And when I feel ready to come back I’ll fly to London and practice at Wimbledon.

Nadal said that playing on grass directly after winning on clay in Paris has become a habit which has paid off with two Wimbledon titles. “I’ve played this week for the last eight years (except 2009 due to knee problems).

“It’s always worked fantastic for me. Usually, I don’t play the week before the Grand Slam. I understand that even if I lost, these few days of practice on grass helped me a lot.”

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