Sport | Tennis
Nadal ready to defend world no. 1 spot
Rafael Nadal got into competition mode rather smoothly despite the fact that he was out of action for over two months.
- By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
- Published: 14:48 January 4, 2009
Abu Dhabi: Rafael Nadal got into competition mode rather smoothly despite the fact that he was out of action for over two months.
But the warning to his rivals did come when the world number one declared that his knee injury was completely healed and he was ready to start off in Doha next week and then move on to the first Grand Slam of the year- the Australian Open.
After a smart 6-2, 6-3 win over Russian Nikolay Davydenko, Nadal said he was pleased to be back on court. "I am really happy and my knee is fully healed. This event ," said Nadal, who took over as world number one from Roger Federer on August 18 and has since enjoyed the top raking.
"I decided to accept Abu Dhabi's invitation after I saw that the other who were coming are the best. With Roger, Murray, Nikolay, Roddick and James you cannot ask for better competition," the left hander from Spain said on Friday night after his win in the Capitala World Tennis Championship semifinals.
Nadal, whose coach is his uncle Toni, is accompanied in Abu Dhabi by Frances Roig. "Frabces will be with me until Doha and Toni will join me for the Australian Open," he said. "This event has been good preparation for Doha and Australia," he said.
The 22-year-old, who has been playing since the age of four with his uncle Toni, said he was feeling in good shape after the off-season stint at home in Mallorca. "I played with Carlos Moya and another friend who is ranked 400. It has been nearly two months since I played competitive tennis. So the first month is always tough," he said though his win against Davydenko did reveal that his opponents have their task cut out in dislodging him from the top.
In 2008, Nadal got the better of Federer in the Wimbledon and Rolland Garros, his Wimbledon triumph ending the latter's five-year-winning streak. He also won the gold at the Olympic Games and entered his first Australian Open final.
"I have not set goals for 2009. I am also not going to be under any pressure as it does not matter to me where I finish in the ranking. I will be looking to be positive and have a good attitude. Just try to improve my game and be a better player," said the 6 ft one inch Spaniard.
Considered my many to be the greatest clay court player in history after his win-loss record of 22-1 in clay court finals with a winning-stretch on the surface extending to 81 wins between 2005 and 2007, Nadal has five Grand Slams under his belt and is the only player in Open era to win both Wimbledon and the French Open in the same year (2008).
The bad news to his rivals is that he is just 22. "I have been around for six to seven years but I am still young and would like to continue playing good tennis," said Nadal.
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