Nadal feeling good after Wimbledon session
Originally published on: 26/02/10 11:35
It all started with a tweet on the official WImbledon Twitter site yesterday – “Rafael Nadal has just turned up to Wimbledon. Even we weren’t expecting that.”
Then, not long after that, the proof that tennis fans the world over had been hoping for followed. Nadal, dressed in all white and with his knee bands conspicuous in their absence, was indeed out practicing on a grass court at Wimbledon, boosting hopes that the world No.1 will be fit enough to launch the defence of his title next week.
“I feel well,” he said, all smiles, afterwards. “Not perfect, but okay.”
The Spaniard came through a three-hour session on the Aorangi Park courts, and further allayed fears that he might miss the Championships by adding an extra appearance at the Fortis Bank Tennis Classic later this week.
“I feel well. Not perfect, but okay” – Nadal
“It would be a good test for me to see how the knee is doing,” Nadal said of Fulham’s Hurlingham Club exhibition event earlier this week, but is now confident enough in his fitness to turn out on Thursday as well as Friday, with Stan Wawrinka lined up as an opponent.
But despite the positive sounds coming from the Nadal camp, five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg yesterday expressed his doubts that Nadal is in the running to defend his crown.
“Nadal is always a dangerous player because he is the best in the world – but what happened in Paris and then the injury, I am picking Andy Murray or Roger Federer,” said the Swede at the launch of the HSBC Champions of Wimbledon event.
“For Nadal to win five in a row (at the French Open) was a big goal this year. I am sure he was very, very disappointed when he went home after Paris.
“That defeat took him many, many days to get over. Nadal is saying he has got an injury, but he has to be fit at Wimbledon if he wants to go all the way, and I do not think he will go all the way this year.”
Meanwhile, Andy Roddick has dismissed fears that the ankle injury that forced him to retire at Queen’s last week could keep him out of the Championships.
“We’re looking at a couple of days and I should be 100%” – Roddick
“I had some tests done and I’ll be ready to go for my first-round match,” said the two-time Wimbledon finalist, who twisted his ankle in a freak accident during his AEGON Championships semi-final against James Blake.
“I’ve had it checked out and I turned it but its okay, and there’s nothing serious as far as long term so it was good news considering the situation.
“I’m on anti-inflammatories and I’m icing it pretty much constantly, but we’re looking at a couple of days and I should be 100%, that’s what I’m hoping for.”
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