Nadal to start 2010 a bit under-done in Abu Dhabi
By DPA, IANSThursday, December 31, 2009
ABU DHABI - Rafael Nadal swings into 2010 action Saturday in a semi-final at the Capitala World Tennis Championship admitting that he is still feeling the effects of an injury-plagued past season.
Less than a month of training at home on the island of Mallorca has convinced the world number two that he has work to do before hitting his formidable best following a run of knee and stomach injuries in 2009.
“I believe that this year I’ll arrive a little bit less prepared than for the start of last season,” he told Spanish sports newspaper As. “My preparation has been short but good.”
“Three weeks later I am ready to start again,” said the four-time French Open winner who helped Spain to a fourth Davis Cup title this month.
Nadal will start in the semi-finals of the six-man special event in Abu Dhabi against the winner from the match between compatriot David Ferrer and Russian Nikolay Davydenko.
Roger Federer heads the field at the three-day season warmup in the Gulf.
Nadal has an Australian Open title to defend starting in a fortnight after he plays next week on the ATP in Doha.
“The results are what they are,” said a realistic Nadal. “I hope to win everything. But that’s impossible. You have to do what is possible in each event.”
Top seed Federer will play the winner of a Thursday night match between countryman Stan Wawrinka and French Open finalist Robin Soderling.
