Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Injured Nadal Uncertain of Return Date; Will Play Del Potro at Garden in March
Rafael Nadal says his left knee is still in pain and he has no precise timetable for getting back on a tennis court.
“I wouldn’t know,” Nadal, who last played June 28 in a second-round loss at Wimbledon to Lukas Rosol, said Tuesday on a conference call. “That’s something I will know when my knee is completely without pain.… It could take three weeks, it could take one month and a half, I don’t know.”
An 11-time Grand Slam singles champion ranked No. 4 in the world, Nadal was on the call to promote his match against Juan Martin del Potro on March 4 at Madison Square Garden in the BNP Paribas Classic. Serena Williams will also play women’s world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka in a rematch of the U.S. Open final won by Serena.
“Playing at Madison Square Garden will be something very, very special, especially after not being in New York this year,” Nadal said. “That’s something bad for me that I didn’t play in the U.S. Open.”
With Nadal, the 2010 U.S. Open champ, absent from Flushing Meadows this year, Andy Murray won his first Grand Slam singles title, edging Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller that lasted 4 hours, 54 minutes, tying a U.S. Open finals record.
Each of the top four men won a Major in 2012, with Djokovic taking the Australian Open, Nadal the French, Roger Federer Wimbledon and Murray the U.S. Open.
“Even if Andy doesn’t win a Grand Slam before this U.S. Open, Andy was ready to win a Grand Slam,” Nadal said.
“Now that he won a Grand Slam that is not going to change my thoughts. When I go on a tennis court with Andy Murray, hopefully I will have the feeling that I can win. Even if he doesn’t win the Grand Slam I think he is a fantastic player and his chances to win Grand Slams are always high. He is a fantastic tennis player.”
As for his own timetable for returning to the court, the seven-time French Open champ said he was uncertain if he could be back for the World Tour Finals (Nov. 5-12) or the Davis Cup final in which Spain faces the Czech Republic in Prague (Nov. 16-18).
Spain has won five Davis Cup titles in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011. The nation beat Argentina 3-1 at Seville in last year’s final.
“Impossible? No,” Nadal said. “Difficult? Yes. Let’s go day-by-day. After missing the Olympics and after missing the U.S. Open I don’t want to make goals to play a tournament.
“I want to go day-by-day in the gym and in the swimming pool, to continue with my recovery. I’m trying not to think that far and take it day-by-day…I wish today the situation was different, but I’m going to go day-by-day.”
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Rafael Nadal says his left knee is still in pain and he has no precise timetable for getting back on a tennis court.
“I wouldn’t know,” Nadal, who last played June 28 in a second-round loss at Wimbledon to Lukas Rosol, said Tuesday on a conference call. “That’s something I will know when my knee is completely without pain.… It could take three weeks, it could take one month and a half, I don’t know.”
An 11-time Grand Slam singles champion ranked No. 4 in the world, Nadal was on the call to promote his match against Juan Martin del Potro on March 4 at Madison Square Garden in the BNP Paribas Classic. Serena Williams will also play women’s world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka in a rematch of the U.S. Open final won by Serena.
“Playing at Madison Square Garden will be something very, very special, especially after not being in New York this year,” Nadal said. “That’s something bad for me that I didn’t play in the U.S. Open.”
With Nadal, the 2010 U.S. Open champ, absent from Flushing Meadows this year, Andy Murray won his first Grand Slam singles title, edging Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller that lasted 4 hours, 54 minutes, tying a U.S. Open finals record.
Each of the top four men won a Major in 2012, with Djokovic taking the Australian Open, Nadal the French, Roger Federer Wimbledon and Murray the U.S. Open.
“Even if Andy doesn’t win a Grand Slam before this U.S. Open, Andy was ready to win a Grand Slam,” Nadal said.
“Now that he won a Grand Slam that is not going to change my thoughts. When I go on a tennis court with Andy Murray, hopefully I will have the feeling that I can win. Even if he doesn’t win the Grand Slam I think he is a fantastic player and his chances to win Grand Slams are always high. He is a fantastic tennis player.”
As for his own timetable for returning to the court, the seven-time French Open champ said he was uncertain if he could be back for the World Tour Finals (Nov. 5-12) or the Davis Cup final in which Spain faces the Czech Republic in Prague (Nov. 16-18).
Spain has won five Davis Cup titles in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011. The nation beat Argentina 3-1 at Seville in last year’s final.
“Impossible? No,” Nadal said. “Difficult? Yes. Let’s go day-by-day. After missing the Olympics and after missing the U.S. Open I don’t want to make goals to play a tournament.
“I want to go day-by-day in the gym and in the swimming pool, to continue with my recovery. I’m trying not to think that far and take it day-by-day…I wish today the situation was different, but I’m going to go day-by-day.”
