Nadal to consult a specialist for knee pain

BARCELONA - Rafael Nadal’s Wimbledon title defence starting in a fortnight could hinge on an early-week doctor’s visit after the world No.1 withdrew from the Queen’s club grass event starting Monday in London.

Nadal’s uncle and coach Toni Nadal told Spanish radio that his nephew will meet a specialist for diagnosis.

“We’ll go to Barcelona to see what the problem is. I am not too optimistic. But if there is a possibility for him to take part in one the world’s greatest tournaments, he will.”

The senior Nadal said his nephew, drummed out of the French Open after four titles a week ago by Swede Robin Soderling is “very affected by this.”

Nadal as a history of knee worries, due partly to his athletic game style which puts stress on the joints. He did not play the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai last November after pulling out at Paris Bercy with knee tendinitis.

Spanish media said the current pain is not part of the tendinitis problem.

Toni Nadal said that the knee situation has been slowly deteriorating over recent weeks as his nephew played his usual gruelling clay schedule, winning titles at Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome over the space of three consecutive weeks.

Last year at Wimbledon, Nadal dethroned Roger Federer, after the Swiss had won the last five editions at the All England club, in a five-set thriller called by many the best ever played.