INJURED SPANISH SENSATION Rafael Nadal says he is nervous ahead of his comeback to tennis for the 2013 season.
Nadal was last in action competitively at Wimbledon in June, when he was ousted in the second round by Czech Lukas Rosol.
And the 26-year-old, who is planning to return from a niggling knee injury for January’s Australian Open, said he has his doubts about whether he can return to his best as quickly as might be expected of him.
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“I have my doubts. It’s normal, we are talking about a knee, so of course I am afraid to see how it is going respond,” Nadal told Canal+.
“But I can only trust my doctors and believe in myself and that everything will be alright.”
Nadal has slipped to fourth in the ATP Tour rankings due to his six-month hiatus from competition, just ahead of compatriot David Ferrer, but the former world number one said he does not feel pressured to make up for lost time in the early stages of his return to the tour.
I’m prepared to accept that at the start my knee might not respond well and I may have to take it easy, mixing periods of play and rest for the first three months,” the Spaniard said.
Winner of 11 majors, including a triumph at Melbourne Park in 2009, Nadal has previously said he does not expect to challenge for the title in Australia in 2013.
He will make his unofficial comeback in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, where he is due to take on the top-ranked Novak Djokovic and US Open champion Andy Murray.
Meanwhile, Nadal’s compatriot Carlos Moya said the seven-time French Open winner has been impressive so far in his return to training.
“Rafael, from November (onwards), is getting better week after week, he’s been far for a long time from tennis courts, but he feels good and I think that (he) surely will be ready for Australian Open,” Moya told Eurosport.
“After a long absence I think he has the necessity to find the rhythm of play and acquire confidence. To win (another) slam in 2013, Rafa is training to be more aggressive and obtain more winning points.”
Nadal voices concerns over knee injury
INJURED SPANISH SENSATION Rafael Nadal says he is nervous ahead of his comeback to tennis for the 2013 season.
Nadal was last in action competitively at Wimbledon in June, when he was ousted in the second round by Czech Lukas Rosol.
And the 26-year-old, who is planning to return from a niggling knee injury for January’s Australian Open, said he has his doubts about whether he can return to his best as quickly as might be expected of him.
“I have my doubts. It’s normal, we are talking about a knee, so of course I am afraid to see how it is going respond,” Nadal told Canal+.
“But I can only trust my doctors and believe in myself and that everything will be alright.”
Nadal has slipped to fourth in the ATP Tour rankings due to his six-month hiatus from competition, just ahead of compatriot David Ferrer, but the former world number one said he does not feel pressured to make up for lost time in the early stages of his return to the tour.
Winner of 11 majors, including a triumph at Melbourne Park in 2009, Nadal has previously said he does not expect to challenge for the title in Australia in 2013.
He will make his unofficial comeback in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, where he is due to take on the top-ranked Novak Djokovic and US Open champion Andy Murray.
Meanwhile, Nadal’s compatriot Carlos Moya said the seven-time French Open winner has been impressive so far in his return to training.
“Rafael, from November (onwards), is getting better week after week, he’s been far for a long time from tennis courts, but he feels good and I think that (he) surely will be ready for Australian Open,” Moya told Eurosport.
“After a long absence I think he has the necessity to find the rhythm of play and acquire confidence. To win (another) slam in 2013, Rafa is training to be more aggressive and obtain more winning points.”
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