Nadal sidelined for six weeks

 

Originally published on: 04/07/11 09:44

Defeated Wimbledon finalist Rafael Nadal is expected to be on the sidelines for the next six weeks after contesting the SW19 showpiece with a fractured foot.

The 25-year-old initially hurt his left foot during his fourth round tussle with Juan Martin del Potro, hearing a crack as he played, but – displaying the mark of a great champion – the Spaniard refused to hide behind the hairline fracture as cause for his loss to Novak Djokovic.

“Seriously, I lost because I am playing against the best player of the moment, the best player of the world and I am the second,” said Nadal who used an anesthetic to dull the pain in his foot from the fourth round onwards. “When you play against these players and they are playing unbelievably, the normal thing is lose. That’s what happened the last few times.”

Nadal, who still holds a 16-12 record over Djokovic, has now lost to the Serb in their last five meetings – all in finals – and admitted he will have to perform at a new high if he is to defeat the scintillating Serb.

“We can analyse that my game in not bothering him,” added the Mallorcan. “We have to find how I can bother him. I did in the past. He’s in the best moment of his career. I am in one of the best moments of my career but still not enough for him. I have to play longer. I have to play more aggressively.”

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