{"id":9487,"date":"2021-02-04T22:58:51","date_gmt":"2021-02-05T05:58:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanjhisoch.com\/english\/?p=9487"},"modified":"2021-02-04T22:58:51","modified_gmt":"2021-02-05T05:58:51","slug":"rafael-nadal-continues-to-struggle-with-back-problem-ahead-of-australian-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanjhisoch.com\/english\/rafael-nadal-continues-to-struggle-with-back-problem-ahead-of-australian-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Rafael Nadal Continues to Struggle With Back Problem Ahead of Australian Open"},"content":{"rendered":"
World number two Rafa Nadal on Thursday said doubts remain over his fitness ahead of next week’s Australian Open.<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Sanjhi Soch buero :World number two Rafa Nadal on Thursday said doubts remain over his fitness ahead of next week\u2019s Australian Open.<\/p>\n

Nadal pulled out of Spain\u2019s ATP Cup tie against Australia on Tuesday with a lower back problem and, despite some improvement, said he was still far away from the level required to play at the year\u2019s first Grand Slam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that I\u2019m in a really bad way, but I\u2019m also not alright in the sense that I can\u2019t play either,\u201d Nadal told Spanish television channel Movistar+.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve improved a little but I\u2019m not in a position where I can go and play a game at full intensity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nadal\u2019s name was also absent from Spain\u2019s ATP Cup tie on Friday against Greece at Melbourne Park\u2019s John Cain Arena with Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta to lead the challenge in the singles matches for last year\u2019s finalists.<\/p>\n

The 34-year-old practised for an hour on Thursday evening at the Rod Laver Arena and his fitness was improving \u201clittle by little, step by step\u201d, sources close to Nadal told Reuters.<\/p>\n

The Spaniard was one of the top players who quarantined in Adelaide for 14 days after their arrival Down Under and were allowed five hours a day to train during the mandatory isolation.<\/p>\n

He then defeated Dominic Thiem 7-5 6-4 on Friday in an exhibition match between the men\u2019s world number two and three at Adelaide\u2019s Memorial Drive Tennis Club.<\/p>\n

Nadal sits level with Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles and, with the Swiss not taking part in Melbourne after knee surgery, the Spaniard would have the chance to become the all-time major record holder in the men\u2019s game for the first time.<\/p>\n

He insisted, however, that that was not something he was focused on. \u201cFirst things first, and that\u2019s to play the Australian Open, and if that doesn\u2019t go well, the season goes on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never been obsessed with Grand Slams, truth be told.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 14-day quarantine and lack of competitive matches ahead of the Grand Slam could prove problematic for Nadal, feels Mats Wilander, who won three out of his seven major titles at Melbourne Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a worry for sure, he would want to play maybe a couple of matches. That\u2019s kind of scary I think for him,\u201d Eurosport expert Wilander told Reuters this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember him having back problems before. He\u2019s not young any more.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

World number two Rafa Nadal on Thursday said doubts remain over his fitness ahead of next week’s Australian Open. Sanjhi Soch buero :World number two Rafa Nadal on Thursday said doubts remain over his fitness ahead of next week\u2019s Australian Open. Nadal pulled out of Spain\u2019s ATP Cup tie against Australia on Tuesday with a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9491,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\t\n