Nadal fears return of knee injury misery

Rafael Nadal is scared that his debilitating knee problems could flare up again as he tries to reclaim the Wimbledon title from Roger Federer.

The world number one said he was heading for treatment once his Wimbledon campaign is over in a bid to be in good shape for the US Open, the one Grand Slam he has yet to win, and will skip Spain’s Davis Cup quarter-final against France.

The Mallorcan was sidelined for two months with knee tendinitis last season and was unable to defend the Wimbledon crown he had sensationally taken from Federer in 2008 in an epic Centre Court battle.

“I have a little bit of a problem on the right knee,” Nadal said. “I am a little bit scared.

“I tried to play the clay season perfectly because the right knee was better than the left. But at the same time I know the knees are not 100 percent recovered.”

Short matches have evaded Nadal during the tournament so far.

The French Open champion beat German number two Philipp Petzschner 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3 Saturday on Centre Court.

Nadal had to come back from two sets to one down in the previous round against unheralded Dutchman Robin Haase and was forced to do it again by 33rd seed Petzschner, piling the strain on the Spaniard’s body.

He now faces France’s unseeded Paul-Henri Mathieu in the next round.

After an early exit from Queen’s and a couple of unconvincing displays here, Nadal needs to step up a gear in the second week to get back to the level required to beat the likes of top seed Federer at the business end of the tournament.

So focused is the left-hander on winning back the Wimbledon crown that he declined an invitation to meet Queen Elizabeth II when she visited the All England Club on Thursday because he was determined not to change his usual pre-match routine.

“I don’t know how bad my knee is. But I am here to try my best and to try to keep in the tournament and playing well,” said the Spaniard.

Nadal said he would not play for Spain away to France in the Davis Cup World Group quarter-final, which runs from July 9 to July 11.

“If I play Davis Cup, I won’t have enough time to recover and play tournaments like Cincinnati,” he said.

“Everything was perfect for me the last few months, and I need to be ready to finish the season well.

“My goal is try to keep having the chance to be number one for the rest of the season. That’s going to be difficult. But if you are not in 100 percent condition, is going to be impossible.”

LONDON, AFP