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Back pain still bother Rafael Nadal as he prepares for the Australian Open.
Nadal, ranked No.2, likes everything to line up perfectly, and he admitted on the eve of the year’s first major that “all the positive feelings I had” last week after coming out of quarantine of 14 days “were now a bit gone.”
Nadal is attempting to win his 21st Grand Slam singles title, which would give him sole ownership of the men’s record. He equaled Roger Federer on October 20 when he won his 13th Roland-Garros title at Roland Garros.
But the back problem causes him uncertainty. Nadal was sidelined from the ATP Cup at Melbourne Park, where he was little more than a spectator as last year’s finalist Spain lost in the semi-finals.
“It’s true that for the past two weeks I have suffered from back pain,” Nadal said, looking slightly dejected, at a press conference ahead of the tournament on Sunday. “So here we are. I tried a little today to serve again. I am doing everything possible to be ready. Today I hope to continue improving and I hope to be ready for that. “
The Australian Open begins Monday, with top-ranked Novak Djokovic starting his quest for the third Australian title and ninth overall.
Nadal is in the lower half of the men’s draw and is set to play his first-round match against Serbian Laslo Djere on Tuesday. A win there and he could face Viktor Troicki or Michael Mhom in the second round with a third round match scheduled against Dan Evans, who won one of six tune-up tournaments held at Melbourne Park this week.
He doesn’t think so far ahead, having been in the situation before injuring himself and squirming into a major.
“I think about (how) it is Sunday, I have tomorrow and then play Tuesday, right?” he said. “I’m not thinking of not playing – the problem is how I will start the tournament.
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“It’s okay, but the muscle is still tight, so it’s hard to play with the freedom of movement. Hopefully (the) situation continues to improve.”
Australia was the least successful venue in Nadal’s Grand Slam. His only title here so far was in 2009, although he came very close to adding another, losing the final four times at Melbourne Park.
Nonetheless, he still aims to be the first man in the professional age – and third overall – to win each of the four majors twice. He won Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 2010, he has four US Open titles and has a 100-2 win-loss record in singles at Roland Garros.
His entourage and the medical team are doing everything to help, he says, and “I know sometimes things change quickly. I will continue to stay positive.”
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