Injured Nadal aims for quick recovery to ‘play best tennis again’

MELBOURNE - World No.1 Rafael Nadal is looking to put behind him the despair of missing a cherished ‘Rafa Slam’, and recover from his Australian Open injury setback to again rule men’s tennis.

Nadal’s hopes of winning a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title evaporated after being beaten by World No.7 David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in their quarter-final match on Wednesday.

The scoreline, however, does not tell the whole story of the match, as Nadal was hampered by a leg injury from the third game of the first set.

He took a lengthy medical timeout early in the first set and emerged with heavy strapping on his left leg.

“Last year I had a fantastic year. Last year in the beginning I had problems, too, and finally it was the best season of my career. I think is almost impossible to repeat that. I had really good moments and at the same time some really negative moments,” the Age quoted Nadal, as saying.

“So, this is one of bad ones, one of the negative moments. That’s part of the sport. I think I am a very lucky sportsman to have what has happened in my career.”

“I have to accept the fantastic moments that I’ve had during the years the same way as when I have problems. If I am ready to accept both the highs and lows as the same, then I am going to be able to come back and play my best tennis again,” he added.

An Australian Open win for Nadal would have made him the first player to hold all four majors since Rod Laver in 1969.

Nadal currently holds the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles. (ANI)