Rafael Nadal may be forced to think future post wrist injury

Rafael Nadal has some worried days ahead of him following his wrist injury.

Rafael Nadal has once again set tongues wagging after his season ended early courtesy a wrist injury. Now the question is that where does he head from now on? Well there are two choices, either just get ready for the new season or take a long break and then think about the comeback thing. There was little doubt that he went into the French Open as the firm favourite as the season rolled further. And yet he did not win the French. Such irony!

Now often we think that Nadal looks to be in form and watching him is going to get so exciting. Not to forget that Nadal has struggled in recent times and may now be close to finding his best touch. Or may be not. And that may still be good enough to win big tournaments on clay. We will wait and watch.

But the fact that Nadal is back in town is so exciting for tennis in general. It is not a Novak Djokovic show only. There are lots of questions to be answered and the following couple of summers may give us all the answers. (Rafael Nadal finally takes court to enthral his fans in New Delhi)

He was won 14 Majors, he has triumphed in Melbourne, Paris, London and New York, pocketing nine French Open titles, two Wimbledon Championships, two US Open titles and an Australian Open crown. His last major came at the Roland Garros in 2014.

Talking on where his next Major win is coming from, Nadal was quoted by Reuters to be saying, “I don’t know when that’s going to happen and I don’t know if that’s going to happen.” A crushing statement for diehard Rafa fans you would think. This when how dearly these supporters would like to see Nadal pass Roger Federer’s record of 17 Majors.

When the Spaniard says he is not sure about his next Major win, is it an honest statement or is he just shirking the pressure that builds day by day on a Major-less champion in an ultra-competitive sport like tennis? The answer is probably somewhere between the two possibilities. Currently, tied with American Pete Sampras in the list of most Majors, it is fair to say that one will get a fair idea on Nadal’s decline or no decline, come the 2017 French Open.

It is on the red clay of Paris that the gritty left-hander has been an immortal. This because he has grabbed an astonishing nine titles in a mere 12 attempts. This apart, there is a reason to talk about Rafa’s slip. The 30-year-old has not played even in the last four of a Major since the French Open win.

But, considering he is five years younger to the Swiss ace Federer, there is still hope that he will one day equal and even perhaps surpass his old rival. And for that, he has to believe he will, and it will be not long before one sees the Rafa army cheering their champion all the way to victory, many more Major victories.

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Tennis: Nadal leads Spanish Davis Cup charge against India

Rafael Nadal has been named in Spain's Davis Cup team to play India in their world group play-off tie in New Delhi on September 16-18.

Fifth-ranked Nadal, who was upset by France's Lucas Pouille in the US Open on Sunday, will be joined by 13th-ranked David Ferrer for singles duty with Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez slated for doubles.

"The return to the team of Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer is the big news of the Spanish team which will travel to India for the play-off," the Spanish tennis federation announced on Tuesday.

Nadal added the Olympic doubles gold to his 2008 singles crown last month after being forced out of Roland Garros and Wimbledon because of a wrist injury.

The 30-year-old Spanish superstar -- a 14-time Grand Slam champion -- suffered a shock 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8/6) fourth round exit in the US Open to 22-year-old Pouille.

His early elimination, however, boosted his chances of a return for Davis Cup duty for the five-time champions against three-time runners-up India.

It will be the third meeting between the two countries and first since 1965 with Spain leading 2-1.

Rafael Nadal: ´I hope that in Rio everything turns out well this time, unlike in London´

Rafael Nadal met with the media in Mallorca to give important updates about his physical condition after having withdrawn from Toronto. He also confirmed what had long been rumored that he would be playing the Rio Olympics, in all three formats – singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

The idea had always been that I did not do anything that could have affected my participation at the Olympics. Toronto was important to prepare for Rio but we couldn’t skip recovery steps. I hope to be able to compete in the three draws without any pain. I will arrive at Rio one week before the start of the Games. I hope to improve a bit every day and be well-prepared for Rio, although, as I always say, nothing is ever certain in life,' said the world no. 4 about his decision to skip the Rogers Cup and play in Rio.

Nadal also admitted that his match fitness wouldn’t be at 100%, but emphasized that he would try his best at the Olympics. 'In singles it seems impossible to me being 100% competitive after being out [of competition] for two months. My goal is to arrive to Rio recovered and ready to give my best in every practice. I am recovering even if I am preparing physically and on the tennis court. The most important thing is that the wrist recovers. I want to play tennis in the next years and the priority is being healthy.'

Then, speaking about playing mixed doubles, Nadal commented, 'I’ve never played mixed. At the end of the day it's still tennis. The sport does not change. Only tactics change and I suppose we will have some practice session in Rio. The most important thing is to play well.'

Andy Murray and Nadal are to have practice sessions in Mallorca together. Speaking about the practice session, Nadal said, ‘I am not ready to practice with such a high-level player yet but I hope to do it in the middle of next week. I am going step-by-step. I hope everything turns out well this time, unlike in London.'

Finally, he commented about the potentiality of Russian athletes being banned from the Rio Games because of WADA unearthing widespread doping during the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics. 'I don’t have an opinion. I do not know the topic well. But I’ve always said that anyone who cheats has to pay. However banning all the country is unfair if there are athletes who did not dope,’ he specified.

Rafael Nadal news: King of Clay progressing well from injury, to return at Rogers Cup

Rafael Nadal is expected to return from injury at the Rogers Cup in Toronto next month, according to long-time coach and uncle Toni Nadal.

Toni provided a progress report about Rafa's condition following a left wrist injury that forced the King of Clay to withdraw mid-event from the French Open and skip Wimbledon later this month. According to the 55-year-old coach, Rafa should is doing well in recovering from his latest setback and should be ready to play at the ATP 1000 Master event in Toronto if "everything goes well."

"Rafa is doing well," Toni said, reports the ATP's official website.

"The Federation doctor has said that everything is progressing as it should, in the time frame we expected. Now he has to start strengthening his wrist and his arm a little bit, and in two weeks we will start training step by step, working a little bit harder each day. The doctor said everything is on the right track."

Rafa's potential participation at the Rogers Cup would serve as a testing grounds for his form heading into the 2016 Rio Olympics, which has become his fundamental goal with Wimbledon out of sight. However, Toni believes the injury has become complicated to the 30-year-old Spaniard, who has seemingly found his old niche playing great tennis prior to his latest setback.

"This injury makes things complicated after Rafa had gained good feelings, but he remains positive. He had recovered his level, was enjoying himself and this was very positive," Toni said in an interview with Onda Cero as translated by Tennis World USA.

Meanwhile, Rafael, who was nominated as Spain's flag-bearer for the Olympic Games, has been confirmed to play singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the quadrennial sporting event. The 14-time Grand Slam winner will team-up with Marc Lopez in the men's doubles category and French Open champ Garbine Muguruza at the mixed doubles.

After winning an Olympic Gold medal in singles competition back in 2008, Rafa missed the London Olympics in 2012 due to a knee tendonitis. His participation at the Rio Olympics will be his third after Athens and Beijing.

Rafael Nadal Schedule: Italian Open Draw, TV Channel, Live Stream Info For Upcoming Match

Rafael Nadal has yet to take the court in Rome, and he potentially has a long road ahead of him if he wants to win another tournament. The King of Clay will be a heavy favorite when he begins play in the Italian Open on Wednesday, but that won’t be the case as he continues to make his way towards the finals.

After getting a bye in the first round, Nadal is set to take on Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round on Wednesday. Kohlschreiber defeated Inigo Cervantes in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, setting up a match with the No.5 player in the world.

It wasn’t long ago that Nadal and Kohlschreiber last met. Nadal was victorious in the semifinals of the Brisbane Open less than a month ago, defeating Kohlschreiber 6-3 6-3. Nadal went on to beat Kei Nishikori and win the tournament, giving him a second straight victory.

Winning consecutive titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, Nadal didn’t have to defeat a top-four player. Unless the Italian Open is filled with upsets, that won’t be the case if Nadal hopes to win the championship in Rome.

For the first time ever, Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are all in the same half of the draw. That means Nadal will likely have to run through both players on his way to the finals. A match with Djokovic could be awaiting Nadal in the quarterfinals, and he could face Federer in the semifinals, if he's fortunate enough to advance that far.

The Italian Open has been dominated by Nadal and Djokovic since 2005. Nadal has seven titles during that time, and Djokovic has won four championships, including the last two in Rome. The world’s top player defeated Nadal in the 2014 finals, returning the favor from 2012.

If Nadal can make his way to the finals, another meeting with Andy Murray could await him. Murray stopped Nadal’s run at the Madrid Open last week, defeating him 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals. Should they meet in central Italy, Nadal won't have a home crowd on his side.

But first, Nadal must take care of business with Kohlschreiber. The Tennis Channel has coverage of the Italian Open on TV starting at 6 a.m. ET, and a free live stream will be available online with Tennis Channel Everywhere.

A win over Kohlschreiber would set up a match between Nadal and either Milos Raonic or Nick Kyrgios.

Zverev tipped to hit pinnacle of tennis

LONDON • More than 10 years have passed since a couple of determined and highly talented teenagers named Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray began to make their mark in tennis.

Since then only two players younger than the Serb and the Scot, Juan Martin del Potro and Marin Cilic, have won Grand Slam titles, but neither has managed to maintain a consistent presence at the very top of the game.

To date no player born in the 1990s has either managed to get his hands on the most prized trophies in the game or break his way into the world's top five.

If Rafael Nadal is to be believed, 18-year-old Alexander Zverev is destined to do both and more.

The world No. 5 has never been one prone to exaggeration but after surviving a break point against the German youngster at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells earlier this month, the illustrious Majorcan was fulsome in his praise.

"He's a clear future No. 1," said Nadal. "He has all the shots with a very good physical performance. He's tall, has a good serve, first and second, plays great shots from the baseline, off the forehand and backhand. Frankly he has everything."

Alongside Zverev, there is a veritable gaggle of potential champions, among them Borna Coric of Croatia, South Korea's Chung Hyeon and Taylor Fritz of the United States, while Australian Nick Kyrgios, 20, certainly has star quality, if not the ability to behave in an exemplary manner.

The ATP World Tour executives are so excited they have based a new marketing campaign around the group entitled NextGen.

However, Zverev, whose Russian-born parents were both respected players and whose elder brother Mischa still competes on the World Tour, is the one causing the most anticipation after scoring notable victories this year against top-30 players Grigor Dimitrov and Gilles Simon.

"My family background is perfect for what I'm trying to do," said the player who won the Australian Open junior title little more than two years ago, six months after finishing runner-up in the boys' French Open.

More success followed. By winning the 2014 Sparkassen Open, he became one of the youngest players to ever win an ATP Challenger Tour title and within a couple of weeks he stepped up several levels to reach the semi-finals of the German Championships played in his home town, Hamburg. He entered the top 100 for the first time last May and currently stands 52nd.

Zverev is managed by Patricio Apey, who did the same job for Andy Murray at a similar age. Seeing the youngster as a rather gangly specimen, Apey decided it was time to add some muscle to his frame and enrolled Jez Green, the English fitness coach who turned Murray into the ironman he is today.

Standing at 1.98m with a brutally fierce serve that is pushing him high in the ace charts, Zverev is built for the modern game.

There is still a considerable amount of fine-tuning to be done before he is the finished article, as his defeat by the American Steve Johnson in the Miami Open late on Friday showed, but it took two tie-breaks before he lost 6-7, 6-7, and he fired 14 aces on the way.

When the French Open and Wimbledon come around this year, the German will be far more accustomed to the level of play required.

Compliments continue to come Zverev's way. Djokovic is another who sees great potential in him.

"When I was breaking through it was easier," said the world No 1. "Now it's a much more physical game. It takes more to start making progress up the top 100 so I applaud this young group and have respect for them getting to where they are as teenagers.

"Tennis needs new young talent out there, fighting with the best."

THE SUNDAY TIMES, LONDON

Tennis: Djokovic, Williams prepared for Australian Open defenses

Novak Djokovic is in the kind of form that has rivals no less than Rafael Nadal describing it as being close to perfection. Serena Williams has been injured, has hardly played since the U.S. Open and had to withdraw from her only tune-up event ahead of the Australian Open.

The preparations of the reigning champions couldn't be more contrasting in the week leading up to the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.

They have one thing in common, though: they're both favorites to win again, having each won three of the four majors in 2015. Serena Williams has won six Australian titles, Djokovic has won five - neither player has lost a final at Melbourne Park.

At a ceremony preceding the tournament draw on Friday, Williams and Djokovic posed for photos with the Australian Open trophies in front of Rod Laver Arena.

It was only when told they had to hand back the trophies that Djokovic replied, half-jokingly, ''What do you mean they're not ours?'' His intentions are clear.

In some ways, Williams' condition reflects the state of play in the upper ranks of the women's game. Most players in the top 10 have withdrawn from a tournament or retired from a match in the first two weeks of the season.

Williams played one set at the Hopman Cup, where she was hampered by inflammation in her left knee. No. 2 Simona Halep (Achilles tendon) and Maria Sharapova (left forearm) withdrew from the Brisbane International without playing a match, and No. 3 Garbine Muguruza retired during her first match with an injured foot.

Agnieszka Radwanska (leg) and Petra Kvitova (illness) withdrew from other warmup tournaments and No. 9 Lucie Safarova announced early she wasn't competing in Australia because of a bacterial infection. Angelique Kerber reached the final in Brisbane, where she lost to resurgent two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, before withdrawing from Sydney, where Halep returned to action.

Williams and Sharapova have been practicing at Melbourne Park, showing few signs of injury. Williams had a break after her shocking semifinal loss at the U.S. Open cost her a calendar-year Grand Slam, but said she'd started hitting again in October ''because I was really missing it.''

She said at the Hopman Cup her knee problem was a mere ''bump'' in the road.

''Everything is actually really well. Feeling really good. Excited about it,'' she added on Friday. ''OK. I'm ready now.''

She'd better be, after the draw created a challenging path to another title.

Williams will open against Camila Giorgi of Italy, who finished 2015 at No. 34 and was the highest-ranked player who was not seeded at Melbourne Park, on Monday. She could also meet former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round and No. 5 Sharapova in the quarterfinals - a rematch of the 2015 final.

Sharapova, the 2008 champion, said her restricted preparation was purely precautionary.

''I think everyone sees the bigger picture,'' she said. ''You want to do what you can to be healthy and be a part of the Grand Slam so sometimes that's a decision you have to make.''

The absences left the door ajar for Azarenka to win her first title since 2013, and demonstrate a renewed confidence after two injury-interrupted seasons. The former No. 1-ranked Azarenka was seeded No. 14 and ended up on the bottom half of the draw with No. 2 Halep, No. 3 Muguruza and No. 8 Venus Williams, avoiding Serena Williams and Sharapova.

While much was made of Serena Williams' near miss of the Grand Slam, Djokovic was only one defeat from a perfect Grand Slam season, too. He lost French Open final to Stan Wawrinka and finished 27-1 in Grand Slam play and 82-6 overall in 2015 - four of his six losses were in finals. He opened 2016 with a crushing 6-1, 6-2 over 14-time major winner Nadal in the Qatar Open final.

''I played against a player who did everything perfect,'' Nadal said. ''I know nobody playing tennis like this ever. Since I know this sport, I never saw somebody playing at this level.

''When I say perfect, it's not one thing in particular. It's everything.''

Djokovic opens against Chung Hyeon of South Korea, and could meet 2014 U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals and four-time Australian champion Roger Federer in the semis. No. 2 Andy Murray, who has lost four Australian Open finals including the 2015 edition, is on the bottom half of the draw with Nadal and Warwinka.

Federer, who lost five finals to Djokovic in 2015, said the Qatar Open final score emphasized the difference between the No. 1-ranked player and the rest.

''Yeah, it was a surprise. Between two top guys ... you rarely see blowouts,'' Federer said. ''That Novak wins maybe not so much because he's been on a roll for a while now.

''Of course he's the favorite for the Australian Open.''