Nadal headlines a dramatic day in NY

 

Originally published on: 05/09/11 11:55

And the award for the most dramatic display on the middle Sunday of the 2011 US Open, drum roll please, goes to…

Rafaeeeel Nadal, for his incredible now-you-see-me, now-you-don’t routine in front of the gobsmacked, and rather concerned, contingent of Spanish press.

Of course, we know there’s no shortage of silverware in the great man’s trophy cabinet, but the Mallorcan is more than worthy of another gong, this time for creating great drama off the court.

At first, it seemed as if he had lost interest in questioning from the Spanish media, but as he tilted his back, grabbed his forehead and slid under the desk, it became clear this was no evasion tactic. Rather than slyly trying to disappear under the desk and do the worm out of the press room, the 25-year-old was gripped by full-body cramp. The press were asked to leave and Nadal was treated for a good 15 minutes.

“It was just cramping in the right leg, in the front and in the back. It was very painful, that’s all,” the sheepish Spaniard explained afterwards.

“I will train normally on Monday. It was just a normal cramp that could have happened anywhere, but it happened in the press room. Anywhere else, nobody would have noticed.”

Check out the ‘collapse’ as it has been reported (it looked more like a gentle slump to me) here:

Now get the WORLD’S BEST TENNIS MAGAZINE here