samedi 29 décembre 2012

Which Nadal will return to the tour?


Rafael Nadal's return to the circuit after an absence of almost six months will not happen in Abu Dhabi or the Australian Open.
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Nadal
Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesRafael Nadal has had a long struggle with his knees. But this time around, it seems a little more worrisome. 
 
This throws an even larger monkey wrench into an already-ominous early season for Nadal, who has been rehabbing his left knee. The last match the "King of Clay" played in 2012 was a second-round, five-set loss at Wimbledon to Czech to 100th-ranked journeyman Lukas Rosol.
Granted, the stomach virus that caused Nadal to cancel his trip to the United Arab Emirates or Australia isn't exactly a career-threatening injury. So what? He already has one of those.
Nadalistas have been praying and keeping their fingers crossed for months that Nadal will be fully recovered and back in peak, bullish form for the 2013 season. They've been buoyed by most of the news coming out of the Nadal camp, which has been cheery. Nadal has spoken of his "conservative" (read: non-surgical) approach to rehab, and of not making the mistake of returning too soon, a reference to the last time he went through something like this.
That was back in 2009, when he lost for the first -- and thus far only -- time in his career at the French Open. He was upset by Robin Soderling of Sweden, a player of an entirely different order of magnitude than Rosol. Nadal said his knees were already killing him then, and he backed up the excuse by pulling out of Wimbledon, even though he was the defending champ.
That was the last match Nadal played in 2009 until he returned during the hard-court circuit leading up to the U.S. Open, some two-and-a-half months later. But while he played consistently (even on wobbly knees, Nadal is a strong top-four player), Nadal didn't win another tournament until he hit the French Riviera at Monte Carlo in mid-April of the next year.
One chilling footnote to that narrative: Nadal had to abandon his quarterfinal with Andy Murray at the Australian Open after Murray won the first two sets; I don't think I need to tell you why Nadal had to quit.
This current break has been nearly three times longer than the one in 2009. Nadal's insists that his knees feel just fine; in a prepared statement the other day he said: "My rehab has gone well, my knee feels good and I was looking forward to competing. Unfortunately doctors have informed me that my body needs to rest in order to fight this stomach virus."
But just days earlier, he had told Canal Plus television that he was prepared to accept that his left knee "may not respond well at the beginning." He further softened the crowd by floating the idea that he's contemplated playing off and on during the first three months of the season, and said that his target tournament for a full return to form is Monte Carlo. Where else? Nadal is 44-1 and has won eight consecutive titles there.
Does anyone else hear an echo in here?
Nadal is focused on the clay-court season. I find it hard to imagine that, among other things, he'll be seen at Indian Wells or in Miami and certainly not at both hard-court events that are the gateway to the segment he most cares about, the Euro clay. Heck, with this new complication, I can even see him pulling the plug on Australia.
Nadal is presently No. 4. We know that No. 2 Roger Federer is 31 years old and bound to start slowing down at some point, but the other two men in tennis's Big Four (No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray) are young, gifted and still hungry. Nadal has also been the biggest obstacle to Murray's Grand Slam success; it's no coincidence that Murray won his first major during Nadal's hiatus. But Murray is blooded now, and Djokovic has been a monumental problem for Nadal.
Connect all the dots, and it's easy to imagine Nadal dominating again on clay but hard to see him dominating on the tour. He can't get back to No. 1 simply by sweeping the clay tournaments, unless he can also win Wimbledon and his three rivals help him out with subpar results. Critics once tried to type Nadal as a clay-court specialist, but he fooled them -- much to our delight and benefit. Now he may be forced into that role because of his physical problems.
There's a saying in tennis, "He lets his racket do the talking."
Nadal was like that for most of his career, but now most of the talking is done by his knees.

Source: http://espn.go.com/tennis/blog/_/name/bodo_peter/id/8786693/which-rafael-nadal-return-tour

vendredi 28 décembre 2012

Stomach virus forces Rafael Nadal to miss Australian Open

                                        Rafael Nadal of Spain
                                       (TOBY MELVILLE /REUTERS)
  
French Open champion Rafa Nadal has been forced to withdraw from next month’s Australian Open because of a stomach virus that has disrupted his recovery from a long-term knee injury, the world number four said on Friday.
“My knee is much better and the rehabilitation process has gone well as predicted by the doctors, but this virus didn’t allow me to practise this past week,” the Spaniard, who has also pulled out of the Qatar Open in Doha, said in a statement.

“Therefore I am sorry to announce that I will not play in Doha and the Australian Open, as we had initially scheduled.”
Nadal was due to make his competitive comeback after the knee injury sidelined him for six months at this week’s Mubadala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi that is not part of the ATP Tour.
The 26-year-old won the event in 2010 and 2011 but withdrew on Dec. 25 citing the stomach virus.
He has not played since June when he suffered a shock defeat in the second round of Wimbledon to Czech Lukas Rosol.
He was subsequently diagnosed with a partial tear of the patella tendon and inflammation in his left knee and was unable to defend his Olympic title at the London Games.
The 11-times grand slam singles champion also missed the U.S. Open and the season-ending World Tour championships before returning to the practice court on November 20.
At last year’s Australian Open, Nadal was runner-up to Novak Djokovic after an epic five-set final that lasted almost six hours. It was the longest match at the event and the longest men’s grand slam singles final on record.
“It is completely understandable and we really feel disappointed for him,” Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said on the event’s website.
“But without any match practice and without sufficient lead up time on the practice court, it makes it virtually impossible for him to get his body ready,” Tiley added.
“We just hope he gets better quickly and we see him back on the tour as soon as possible. Tennis fans across the world have been missing him.
“I am confident we will see him back on the tour soon and back in Australia for 2014.”
Nadal, who won a record seventh French Open crown in May on his favoured clay, said doctors had advised a period of rest without any sport for the next seven days starting on Friday.
“As my team and doctors say, the safest thing to do is to do things well and this virus has delayed my plans of playing these weeks,” he said.
“I will have to wait until the Acapulco tournament (at the end of February) to compete again although I could consider to play before at any other ATP event.
“I always said that my return to competition will be when I am in the right conditions to play and after all this time away from the courts I’d rather not accelerate the comeback and prefer to do things well.”
Nadal’s athletic, aggressive playing style places huge demands on his muscles and joints and he has been sidelined several times by injuries during his 11-year career.
He said last week he does not expect to be back to full fitness and close to his best until the Masters event at Indian Wells in March.
“Rafa Nadal suffered last week a viral process that provoked a gastroenteritis with high fever for four or five days,” doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro, the head of Nadal’s medical team, said on Friday.
“Due to this it’s been recommended a break from sports for a week.
“Because of this, and considering that the next event is Doha, starting next week he won’t be in sufficient physical conditions to continue with his rehabilitation process.”
Nadal’s uncle and coach Toni added: “We consider it inappropriate to play the Australian Open since we will not have enough preparation for a...grand slam tournament.
“It is simply not conceivable that his first event is a best of five sets event, he wouldn’t be ready for that,” he added.
“It is true we have been quite unlucky with this but there is nothing we can do. After all this time it is better to do things well and the most professional thing to do is to start when we are ready.”

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/stomach-virus-forces-rafael-nadal-to-miss-australian-open/article6764979/

Nadal absent du premier Grand Chelem

                                          Rafael Nadal (Photo PC)


MADRID - L'Espagnol Rafael Nadal, privé d'une partie de la saison 2012 par une blessure à un genou, a une nouvelle fois reporté son retour à la compétition vendredi, c'est une infection virale qui le privera notamment de l'Omnium d'Australie, du 14 au 27 janvier prochain.

"J'ai le regret d'annoncer que je ne pourrai pas jouer les tournois de Doha et de l'Omnium d'Australie", déclare dans un communiqué Nadal, vainqueur à Melbourne en 2009 et encore finaliste l'an passé, battu au terme d'un match de près de six heures par le Serbe Novak Djokovic.

"Mon genou va beaucoup mieux et le processus de récupération était dans les délais fixés par les médecins, mais en raison de ce virus je n'ai pas pu m'entraîner normalement cette semaine et ne pourrai pas le faire dans les jours prochains", ajoute le champion espagnol, qui s'est vu prescrire par les médecins un repos total de sept jours à partir de ce vendredi.

Cela veut aussi dire que Nadal risque fort de ne pas porter les couleurs de son pays lors du duel face au Canada dans le cadre de la Coupe Davis. La rencontre se jouera à Vancouver du 1er au 3 février.



Nadal n'a plus joué depuis sa défaite surprise au deuxième tour de Wimbledon face au Tchèque Lukas Rosol, le 28 juin 2012.

Blessé à un genou, il a dû renoncer aux Jeux olympiques, où il devait défendre sa médaille d'or de 2008 mais aussi être le porte-drapeau de l'Espagne lors de la cérémonie d'ouverture, puis à l'Omnium des États-Unis et à toute la fin de saison, Masters et finale de Coupe Davis compris.

Le numéro quatre mondial a repris l'entraînement fin novembre, avec l'objectif d'être de retour au tournoi-exhibition d'Abou Dhabi qui a débuté jeudi et se termine samedi.

Mais mardi, il avait finalement renoncé en raison de cette infection virale.

Djokovic déçu

"Rafa Nadal a souffert la semaine passée d'un processus viral qui a provoqué une gastro-entérite avec une forte fièvre pendant quatre à cinq jours", précise dans le communiqué son médecin, Angel Ruiz-Cotorro.

Pour son entraîneur et oncle, Toni Nadal, il n'était de toute manière "pas raisonnable" de reprendre à "l'Omnium d'Australie, un tournoi du Grand Chelem où les matches se disputent en cinq sets, sans avoir eu une période préalable d'adaptation à la compétition".

Le numéro un mondial, Novak Djokovic, s'est dit attristé par ce forfait. "J'avais envie de le voir jouer. Il a été absent du circuit pendant six mois et je suis sûr que tous les fans de tennis et de sport veulent le revoir sur le court, en pleine santé et en forme", a dit le Serbe, au tournoi d'Abou Dhabi. "Je lui souhaite un prompt rétablissement".

Nadal, qui va notamment perdre les 1200 points acquis l'an dernier grâce à sa finale à Melbourne, va descendre encore d'un rang au classement et se retrouver 5e pour la première fois depuis mai 2005, avant le premier de ses sept sacres à Roland-Garros.

Il se retrouvera même deuxième Espagnol au classement ATP, derrière son compatriote David Ferrer.

Nadal ne veut cependant pas précipiter son retour, quitte à faire l'impasse sur le mois de février où est notamment programmé le premier tour de la Coupe Davis. "Ma reprise devra attendre le tournoi d'Acapulco (sur terre battue au Mexique du 25 février au 2 mars), même si je n'écarte pas la possibilité de rejouer en tournoi avant", dit-il.

Moins exigeante pour les genoux, la terre battue, sa surface de prédilection, semble un tremplin idéal pour se relancer. Avec en point de mire, un titre à Roland-Garros à défendre, pour un huitième sacre.

mardi 25 décembre 2012

Nadal pulls out of comeback in Abu Dhabi

 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal announced on Tuesday that he will not compete at the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament, which was to mark his return after six months of absence. The 11-time Grand Slam champion sustained a knee injury following his shock second-round defeat at Wimbledon to Czech Lukas Rosol in June.Photograph by: MIGUEL MEDINA, AFP/Getty Images


MADRID, Spain — Rafael Nadal announced Tuesday that doctors have ordered him to pull out of what was to have been his first comeback tournament after a seven-month hiatus nursing a knee injury.
The 26-year-old Spaniard said on his Facebook page that a fever caused by a stomach infection has forced him to pull out of an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 27.
“I am very disappointed that I will not be able to compete this year in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “Everything had been prepared.”
Nadal added he had been very keen to return to the Middle East competition but doctors had told him his body needs rest “to fight this stomach virus.”
Nadal acknowledged his withdrawal would be a disappointment to fans and the tournament, which is due to feature top-ranked Novak Djokovic and No. 3-ranked Andy Murray of Britain, but emphasized it was not prompted by his knee injury.
“My rehab has gone well, my knee feels good and I was looking forward to competing,” he said.
The injury prevented Nadal from defending his Olympic singles gold at the Olympics in London, where he was supposed to be Spain’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony. He also had to pull out of the U.S. Open and Spain’s Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic, which his teammates lost without him.
The 11-time Grand Slam winner and former top-ranked player said his knee has improved over the last two months after making frustratingly little progress during the summer.
The tournament in Abu Dhabi would have been Nadal’s first competitive action since being sidelined with tendinitis in his left knee following a second-round loss to then 100th-ranked Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon in June.
 

Tennis great Rafael Nadal has a new iPhone app

                                         (Photo: Vstrator)


"You can use it anywhere — on the court or at school, and compare any shot of yours to a professional player," says Nadal.

SAN FRANCISCO — Tennis great Rafael Nadal is ready for his comeback.
Since a knee injury sidelined him after this year's Wimbledon, he's been out of action. But he'll be back at the Australian Open next month, and with a new iPhone app.
The new Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy App, developed with video-analysis firm Vstrator, will be available within the next few days on iTunes. It offers in-depth tennis tutorials of Nadal's strokes, along with Vstrator's easy-to-use video coaching tools.
"This helps you visualize how to become a better player," Nadal, the world's No. 4-ranked player, told USA TODAY in a phone interview.

The app (www.vstrator.com/rafanadal) lets consumers capture and analyze video of athletic motions such as ground strokes and serves. Video can be recorded or imported from a smartphone camera into the app. So-called "Vstrate" technology lets users highlight video to zero in on any part of their game.

Users of the app can frame video forward and back to compare their technique with Nadal and other players. Vstrator video can be shared via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail or text message.

The normally low-key Nadal, 26, rarely does interviews or endorsements. But he made an exception with Vstrator to reach out to fans, he says.
"You can use it anywhere — on the court or at school, and compare any shot of yours to a professional player," says Nadal, an 11-time Grand Slam champion. "It is a great way to learn tennis, and see how you can improve."
Vstrator hopes to "lead the sports community into the digital age and taking coaching and training to a new level," says Rob Autry, the company's CEO and founder.


Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2012/12/25/nadal-iphone-vstrator/1783139/

Rafael Nadal n'effectuera pas son retour à Abu Dhabi

Rafael Nadal, dont la dernière apparition sur le circuit ATP remonte au 28 juin 2012, avait lui-même fait savoir il y a une quinzaine de jours sur les réseaux sociaux qu'il allait faire son retour à la compétition à l'occasion du tournoi-exhibition d'Abu Dhabi qui doit débuter jeudi.
Photo Kamran Jebreili, Associated Press


L'Espagnol Rafael Nadal, tout récemment remis d'une blessure au genou qui l'a éloigné des courts depuis juin dernier, a annoncé mardi sur les réseaux sociaux qu'il renonçait à faire son retour en compétition au tournoi-exhibition d'Abu Dhabi tel qu'initialement prévu.
«Je suis désolé de ne pas pouvoir participer cette année à Abu Dhabi. Tout était prêt et j'ai vraiment envie de revenir à la compétition, mais les médecins m'ont interdit de participer à Abu Dhabi en raison d'une infection virale à l'estomac qui m'a donné de la fièvre», a indiqué l'Espagnol sur son compte Twitter et Facebook.
Rafael Nadal, dont la dernière apparition sur le circuit ATP remonte au 28 juin 2012, avait lui-même fait savoir il y a une quinzaine de jours sur les réseaux sociaux qu'il allait faire son retour à la compétition à l'occasion du tournoi-exhibition d'Abu Dhabi qui doit débuter jeudi.
«Ma convalescence s'est bien passée, mes genoux vont mieux et comme je le dis, j'ai hâte de revenir à la compétition. Je suis désolé pour mes fans dans les Émirats et partout dans le monde. J'espère pouvoir être là l'année prochaine», a ajouté le champion de 26 ans.
Le septuple vainqueur de Roland-Garros et actuel N.4 mondial a repris l'entraînement fin novembre alors qu'il était éloigné des courts depuis sa défaite surprise au deuxième tour de Wimbledon face au Tchèque Lukas Rosol.
Il souffrait depuis le printemps du syndrome de Hoffa, une inflammation de la boule graisseuse située derrière le tendon rotulien du genou gauche.
En raison de cette blessure, Nadal a notamment été privé des Jeux olympiques 2012, du US Open et de la finale de la Coupe Davis, perdue par l'Espagne face à la République tchèque.

Source: http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/tennis/201212/25/01-4606669-rafael-nadal-neffectuera-pas-son-retour-a-abu-dhabi.php

Rafael Nadal ne sera pas à Abou Dhabi

                                          Rafael Nadal (Photo PC)

 MADRID - Rafael Nadal a indiqué que les médecins l'ont forcé à se retirer du premier tournoi auquel il devait participer après une pause de sept mois causée par une blessure à un genou.

L'Espagnol a écrit sur sa page Facebook mardi, que de la fièvre causé par une infection à l'estomac l'avait forcé à se retirer d'un tournoi préparatoire à Abou Dhabi le 27 décembre.

Nadal a déclaré que «tout avait été préparé» et qu'il avait vraiment hâte de renouer avec ce tournoi, mais il a souligné que les médecins lui avaient dit qu'il devait se reposer afin «de permettre à son corps de combattre le virus intestinal».

Ce tournoi aurait été le premier de Nadal depuis qu'il a été tenu à l'écart du terrain en raison d'une tendinite au genou gauche, qui l'a contraint à s'incliner au deuxième tour devant Lukas Rosol à Wimbledon en juin. 

lundi 24 décembre 2012

A Very Festive Message From Rafa Nadal!

Rafael Nadal vise Indian Wells

                                                   Rafael Nadal  Photo: GLYN KIRK / AFP / Archives

 Le joueur de tennis espagnol Rafael Nadal est attendu dans les prochains jours au tournoi d'Abou Dhabi, mais il vise un véritable retour au jeu en mars prochain, à Indian Wells.
Le Majorquin a mis sa carrière en suspens pendant six mois afin de soigner une blessure au genou gauche. Il n'est donc pas assuré de participer en janvier aux Internationaux d'Australie, premier tournoi du Grand Chelem de la saison.
«Je veux être certain que tout est vraiment prêt pour reprendre la compétition sans peur, sans aucun doute, a confié Nadal au quotidien espagnol ABC. Si les choses se passent bien à Abou Dhabi, nous continuerons le programme, mais si ce n'est pas le cas, je continuerai tranquillement.
«Pour la saison, mon vrai objectif n'est pas les Internationaux d'Australie, mais d'être en parfaite condition à Indian Wells et à Miami et d'arriver à Monte-Carlo [en avril] avec de bonnes sensations, pour attaquer la saison sur terre battue en bonne forme.»
Le joueur de 26 ans a repris l'entraînement depuis un mois et le rendez-vous à Abou Dhabi sera un premier test pour celui qui pointe désormais au quatrième échelon du classement de l'ATP.
«J'ai besoin de voir comment [la guérison] progresse et la façon dont [mon corps] réagit à l'exigence d'intensité face à des joueurs de haut niveau», a-t-il expliqué.
«Fin février ou mars, c'est la période où je serai bien. Le moment où ma saison commencera sera le moment où je me dirai à moi-même que je suis prêt à gagner.»
Au cours de sa carrière, Nadal a mis la main sur 11 titres du Grand Chelem, trois Coupes Davis et une médaille d'or olympique.

Source: http://fr.canoe.ca/sports/nouvelles/tennis/archives/2012/12/20121224-153305.html

samedi 22 décembre 2012

Nadal: Tennis owed Murray a slam

 Rafael Nadal has beaten Andy Murray in four grand slam semi-finals © Getty Images

Rafael Nada says he never lost faith that Andy Murray would eventually win a grand slam, suggesting that tennis was indebted to the Scot.


Murray landed his first major title at the US Open in September after a dramatic five-set victory over Novak Djokovic.
Nadal, who is preparing to make his long-awaited comeback after six months on the sidelines with a knee injury, believes Murray's victory at the London 2012 Olympics was the trigger to success in New York.
"I really thought Andy would win the US Open because tennis owed him something. That was my feeling," Nadal told The Times.
"The Olympics was a big change and with the calm of winning that gold medal at home, you go to a grand slam final and you feel that Andy, before the match, believed he was the favourite.
"If you really believe in yourself, it doesn't matter if you were leading by two sets to love and the opponent comes back. I really felt Andy would win, even though you know how much a great champion Djokovic is and how many matches he had saved in difficult circumstances."
Source: http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/185053.html

vendredi 21 décembre 2012

Rafael Nadal IS BACK

Rafael Nadal won't be fully healthy upon return




 Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal is set to play in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Dec. 27, his first action since being sidelined with tendinitis in his left knee. (Clive Rose/Getty Images)





Tennis star reveals he is nervous about playing following 7-month layoff

 After a seven-month hiatus nursing a hurt knee, Rafael Nadal is wary about his upcoming return to the tennis court and believes it may be some time before he is back in top form.

"I have my doubts. It's normal. We are talking about a knee, so of course I am afraid to see how it is going respond," Nadal told Canal Plus television Friday. "But I can only trust my doctors and believe in myself and that everything will be all right."
The 26-year-old Spaniard is set to play an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 27. It will be his first action since he was sidelined with tendinitis in his left knee after a second-round loss to 100th-ranked Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon in June.
The injury prevented Nadal from defending his Olympic singles gold at the London Games, where he was supposed to be Spain's flag bearer in the opening ceremony. He also had to pull out of the U.S. Open and Spain's Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic, which his teammates lost without him.
The 11-time Grand Slam winner and former No. 1 player said his knee had improved over the last two months after making frustratingly little progress during the summer.
Even so, he acknowledged that he may have to skip some more events to get back to full speed.
"I'm prepared to accept that at the start my knee might not respond well and I may have to take it easy, mixing periods of play and rest for the first three months," he said.
Nadal said that he wanted to play at Indian Wells and Miami with the goal of being completely fit by April to play at Monte Carlo, a clay-court tournament he has dominated for eight consecutive years. The Abu Dhabi tournament features a six-man field that includes top-ranked Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray of Britain.


Source: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/tennis/story/2012/12/21/sp-tennis-rafael-nadal-abu-dhabi-united-arab-emirates-monte-carlo.html

Nadal avoue que sa blessure l'inquiète

                                          Rafael Nadal (Photo PC)

Rafael Nadal a déclaré qu'il était nerveux à l'idée d'effectuer son retour au tennis après une absence de sept mois en raison d'une blessure à un genou, et il croit que ça pourrait prendre un certain temps avant que sa blessure ne soit complètement guérie.

Nadal a dit sur les ondes de Canal Plus vendredi qu'il était préparé à la possibilité que son genou ne réponde pas aussi bien que prévu au départ, et il a admis avoir considéré l'option de disputer des tournois de l'ATP de façon aléatoire au cours des trois premiers mois de 2013.

L'Espagnol de 26 ans doit effectuer son retour au jeu à Abu Dhabi, le 27 décembre. Il a été ennuyé par une tendinite au genou gauche depuis sa défaite au deuxième tour de Wimbledon, en juin, aux dépens du 100e joueur mondial Lukas Rosol.

Nadal a précisé que son objectif était d'être de retour au sommet de sa forme pour Monte Carlo en avril. 

jeudi 20 décembre 2012

The Struggle Down Under


Rarely have the reviews for a tennis match been revised as rapidly and drastically as those given to the 2012 Australian Open men’s final. Immediately after Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal finished their exhausted, well-past-midnight, post-match speeches inside Rod Laver Arena, a hushed question began to be asked in the press room next door: “Was this the greatest tennis match of all time?” 
 
Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated, author of Strokes of Genius, about the last GMOAT, the 2008 Wimbledon men's final, wondered on Twitter if that match had been surpassed, and if he had written his book too soon. Steve Flink, a tennis historian who was about to release a book called The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time, added a last-minute chapter about Nole-Rafa Down Under. He listed it as the seventh best in history, ahead of such esteemed epics as Pancho Gonzalez’s two-day win over Charlie Pasarell at Wimbledon in 1969 and the year-end shootout in 1996 between Pete Sampras and Boris Becker in Hannover, Germany. Meanwhile, Djokovic, who won 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5, told Nadal on the trophy stand that, “We made history.” Afterward, he posed with the match clock, which read 5:53. It was the longest Grand Slam final ever, and the longest match in Australian Open history. Djokovic and Nadal seemed to have played one for the ages that night in Melbourne.
 
Within a few days, though, there was dissension in the tennis ranks. That number, 5:53, the doubters said, was nothing to be awed by; the match was only that long because Novak and Rafa took too much time in between points. As for the style of play, it was “brutal” rather than brilliant, and the endless rallies only proved that nobody knows how to get to the net anymore. Djokovic-Nadal was suddenly a symbol of everything that was wrong with modern men’s tennis, a harbinger of bad things to come. By the end of the year, many of the sport’s aficionados had tossed the Aussie Open men’s final into the “overrated” bin.
 
I can see both sides of this story. I wouldn’t put Nole-Rafa in my 10 best matches of all time, but I wouldn’t call it overrated, either. Yes, it took too long; ESPN’s Kamakshi Tandon calculated that if player had kept to his allotted 20 seconds between points, the match would have been 70 minutes shorter. Chair umpire Pascal Maria mistakenly waited until the second set to warn them about slow play. No matter how good the tennis, it’s too much to ask fans to sit through nearly six hours of it to find out who wins. And yes, neither player served and volleyed at all. Djokovic, in one of the year’s best lines, even apologized to Rod Laver himself for it in his winner’s speech. “We are running around the baseline,” he said to the 73-year-old legend, who was in the stands. “I’m sorry about that.” 
 
But I don’t agree that this was dull, or even one-dimensional, tennis, or that today's players should be criticized for being “physical,” as if that’s somehow not in the proper genteel tennis tradition. What I think the doubters really missed in this match was the presence of Roger Federer. I like Federer-Nadal and Federer-Djokovic matches as well; as I wrote last week, I still think Roger-Rafa is the most entertaining match-up of them all. But Nadal and Djokovic always put on their own unique show. It’s physical, it’s noisy, it takes a long time, but to this tennis fan’s eyes, it’s gutsy and graceful, too.
 
Rafa-Nole in Oz was an Epic, with all of the winding drama, technical proficiency, and self-indulgent lulls that we associate with that genre. Here’s a look back at 22 minutes out of the original 353. The dissenters should be happy: Through the magic of YouTube, there’s no time between points at all.
 
*****
 
Watching these two rally for the first time in six months, I wonder if it’s the simple fact that one player if a lefty and the other is a righty that keeps them from getting boring to me. Sometimes Djokovic and Andy Murray, both righties, can look a little too similar in their baseline encounters. Rafa and Novak are always distinct, the spin of their shots always hooking against each other.
 
*****
 
“Vintage Nadal,” we hear one of the Aussie commentators say after Rafa stretches for a get, puts the ball at Djokovic’s feet, and wins the point with a backhand pass. During the clay stretch last spring, Tennis Channel commentator Chris Wilkinson pointed out that this is an underrated skill of Nadal’s. It’s not just that he gets to balls you think he can’t get, Wilkinson said, it’s that he also puts them in difficult places for his opponent. It’s true here, and there’s no better example of it than a shot we looked at last week: the lob that Nadal dropped on the baseline when he was down break point in the final game against Federer in the semis in Australia.
 
*****
 
Down a break point in the first set against Djokovic, Nadal tries to go up the middle with his first serve. This is a standard play of his against Federer; after serving 20 straight times out wide to Federer’s weaker backhand in the ad court, he’ll cross him up by sending one down the T on a crucial point. That doesn’t work against Djokovic, who doesn’t have an obvious weaker wing to attack. When Rafa goes down the T here, Djokovic is all over it with his return.
 
*****
 
During this match, I kept thinking about the parallel—or triangular—dynamics between Nadal-Federer and Djokovic-Nadal. This is what I wrote afterward:
 
“Nadal uses his high, heavy, lefty forehand to Federer’s one-handed backhand as his fail-safe backup. Djokovic uses his high, heavy, forehand to Nadal’s weaker backhand as his fail-safe backup.
 
Against Djokovic, Nadal, so sure of his game plan against Federer, appears to have little idea how to construct points or where to start. Rafa can’t identify a weak spot, because there isn’t one. In some ways, Djokovic, who is best on hard courts and whose shots move through the court much more easily, returns Nadal to his early days as a clay-court specialist.
 
Nobody can exploit Nadal's biggest weakness, his serve, like Djokovic, who owns the best return in the game. Rafa was so amazed by this shot that he burst out in praise of it tonight, without being asked. 'Is something unbelievable how he returns, no? His return is probably one of the best of history.'
 
When Federer plays Nadal, Federer’s fans ask, 'Why isn’t he more aggressive? Why doesn’t he do this, or that, or something else?' It looks like he should be winning. When Nadal plays Djokovic, Nadal’s fans ask the same exasperated questions. It’s not so easy. Djokovic hits with deceptive weight and accuracy, and he’s better than anyone at forcing Nadal to hit backhands. He’s always going to have the advantage when he does that. 
 
When Nadal plays Federer, Rafa can play his game while his opponent must find a solution. When Nadal plays Djokovic, the roles are reversed. It's Nole's who's comfortable, and Rafa who's searching.”
 
*****
 
The first set alone has at least four momentum shifts, but the match is won by Nole, and lost by Rafa, in the final game of the second set, with Nadal serving at 4-5. Rafa had just broken Djokovic at 5-3; it appeared as if he might come back to steal the second set and build a seemingly insurmountable lead. At 30-30, though, Djokovic hits a brilliant backhand winner. At 30-40, Nadal double faults. It’s one set each.
 
At this point, the head-to-head between these two kicks in. Djokovic had won their last six matches, and it shows. He’s full of confidence through the third and most of the fourth sets, while Nadal is as disconsolate as I've ever seen him. With Rafa down 3-4, 0-40 in the fourth, the camera pans from Djokovic to the champion’s trophy. It’s almost his.
 
*****
 
It’s amazing to hear Mats Wilander urge Nadal to go for winners earlier in points, because Rafa can’t hang in the long rallies against Djokovic. I never thought I would hear those words spoken about an opponent of Nadal’s.
 
*****
 
Still, there are at least two more twists to go in this saga. Nadal saves all three break points, holds for 4-4, forces a tiebreaker, and comes back to win it 7-5. Djokovic got tight trying to finish the match off, and when Nadal executes a spinning forehand winner early in the fifth set, it looks like he’s going to come back for what might have been his most unlikely, and greatest, victory. 
 
Nadal breaks for 4-2. I remember the roar from the crowd when he hit a forehand winner on the first point of that game. The Aussies were ready to push him across the finish line. Then it was Rafa’s turn to get tight. We miss the key shot here—at 30-15, Nadal ran forward for a simple backhand pass; even Djokovic seemed ready to concede the point. Instead, Nadal pushed the ball wide. He never recovered.
 
From there a nervous Rafa retreated farther behind the baseline and went to his weaker, safer, floating slice backhand. It was never going to work, and Djokovic methodically took advantage. Still, there was tremendous tennis to be had all the way to the end. At 4-4 in the fifth, Nadal won a 32-stroke rally that put Djokovic on his back.
 
*****
 
The physicality of the match should only make us credit Djokovic’s achievement more. Two nights earlier he had beaten Andy Murray 7-5 in the fifth; now he had done it again.
 
Rafa walked to the net looking crushed, but he came through with one of the best loser’s press conferences I’ve ever heard. Here’s what I wrote about it at 6:00 that morning:
 
"I wondered how Nadal would get that missed pass out of his mind. I wondered if he would break down in tears on the trophy stand.
 
We got none of that. What we got instead were words that spoke to why you play the sport in the first place—for matches like this, even when you lose them. In my favorite moment of the evening, Rafa raised and shook his second-place plate with sad pride.
 
'When you are with passion for the game,' Nadal said, 'when you are ready to compete, you are able to suffer and enjoy suffering, no?'
 
But it isn’t just a feeling you have on a tennis court, and it isn’t something, in Rafa’s mind, that only star athletes can understand. It’s there for anyone who tries for something greater.
 
'I don’t know if I express it very well,' he went on, 'but is something that maybe you understand. So today I had this feeling, and is really a good one. I enjoyed. I suffered during the match, but I enjoyed all the troubles that I had during all the match.
 
'I enjoyed. I tried to be there, to find solutions all the time. I played a lot with my heart and lot with my mind, that’s something that is nice to be around, and [it’s not just about] tennis.'
 
*****
 
Nole was gracious in his winner’s speech, turning to Nadal to tell him, “We made history.” The words made sense, because this match was as much about sports, and what they put you through, as it was about winners and losers.
 
Before he got up there, Djokovic had torn his shirt off and screamed. Was it too much? Some thought so. But after what he had been through to win, I could understand it. He had played tennis for nearly six hours. He had outlasted one of the sport’s greatest lasters. And it was 2:00 in the morning. 
 
Nole vs. Rafa may have been a flawed gem, but its mix of the balletic and the brutal made it a fitting monument to the era. It was a GSOAT: one of the greatest struggles of all time.
 

Source: http://www.tennis.com/news/2012/12/all-nighter/45732/#.UNPEuaya-LI

mercredi 19 décembre 2012

Barcelone : Rafael Nadal soutient Vilanova



Rafael Nadal, supporter du Real Madrid, a tenu à apporter son soutien à Tito Vilanova, qui serait rattrapé par son cancer. Le tennisman espagnol a posté un tweet sur son compte. « Toute ma force et mon appui à Tito Vilanova. Nous sommes tous avec toi pour dépasser ce nouveau coup du sort ».

Online poker: A rather glorious start for Rafael Nadal


 As it was announced a few days ago, the Spanish tennis prodigy, Rafael Nadal, started on real money poker tables of Pokerstars on Sunday. He was then part of the field of some 1,842 participants of the main event of € 200 buy-in of the Spain Championship of online poker or Escoop. As a reminder, during this adventure, he took the nickname 'RAFA'. And the huge success recorded by the event has probably a link with the participation of Nadal. The prizepool gathered reach then a much larger amount than that of the proposed guarantee. It reached € 339,241.14.


Nadal has just proved that he deserves a place in the world of professional poker and he can be as successful as on tennis courts. Even if he has not reached the top spot of the podium, his career at this event was remarkable. RAFA passed without any problem the first levels of the game. He was solid despite the aggressiveness of his competitors. He even contributed to the elimination of a player and was powered of the spot of leader. Unfortunately, he has not managed to win until the end. He certainly lacks the required experience to guess all the pitfalls of poker. The tennis star abandoned then the championship after a few level. He still had the right for an award. Note that the tournament ended with the victory of "tonet_1981'.

Source: http://www.poker777.com/20121219/online-poker-a-rather-glorious-start-for-rafael-nadal.php

Rafael Nadal Says He Is Eager To Return To The Tour

Rafael Nadal sounds like he would not mind Christmas coming a few days late if it means that he can return successfully to tennis at the Abu Dhabi exhibition set for December 27-29. The outing is due to be the first for the Spaniard in six months since being sidelined last summer with a knee injury.

“After this long period away from competition, with all these months of rehabilitation and now hard practice, I am excited to see the moment to play again is close,” the 11-time Grand Slam winner said in the run-up to the well-funded just-for-fun payday.

“Every time I play, I give 100 per cent and try to win; it will be no different in Abu Dhabi . Obviously coming back from injury will be tough, but the Mubadala World Tennis Championship is exactly the test I need for my game and my fitness. I can’t wait to get back on centre court.”

Nadal won’t be stretched too hard, with only a possible two matches on his easy-going itinerary, with the Spaniard receiving a “bye” in the hit-and-giggle also featuring world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Nadal’s first match in half a year match will pit him against the winner from Olympic champion Murray and Serb Janko Tipsarevic.

“Abu Dhabi has been the perfect place to begin the year, so I can’t wait to get back there,” said Nadal, who lost the 2009 final to Murray, “Being in a tournament setting while getting match fitness against some tough competition in good weather can only help me move forward as I look at the rest of the season.

“I’ve missed playing and I’ve missed the fans, but I know I’ll get a really warm welcome in Abu Dhabi .”

Source: http://www.10sballs.com/2012/12/19/rafael-nadal-says-he-is-eager-to-return-to-the-tour/

samedi 15 décembre 2012

Offer to Rafael Nadal: 1.2 million dollars to play in Vina del Mar

In an article published on the Chilean newspaper La Tercera, has emerged the willing, from the organizers of the tournament of Vina Del Mar, to offer 1,2 million dollar to Rafael Nadal for his eminent presence in the Chilean tournament. Vina Del Mar, event on clay, the first stop of the Golden Swing ( a series of four tournaments that are played in Latin America) and will start in the very first days of February, right after the first round of Davis Cup.
Nadal, far from the circuit since Wimbledon due to a knee injury, will come back to official competitions at the beginning of 2013, in Doha. He has obviously planned to play the Australian Open and he’s taking in consideration the hypothesis to go in court for the Davis Cup against Canada in Vancouver.
Nadal has said more than once, in varies interviews, to be willing to reduce the number of competition on “hard” in order not to damage his knee. We know that Nadal will be protagonist in Acapulco ad the end of February.
So time and space are compatible with the schedule, the surface is the favourite one and the offer is not to throw away. Will we see him also in Vin del Mar?

Source:http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Offer-to-Rafael-Nadal-12-million-dollars-to-play-in-Vina-del-Mar-articolo7354.html

vendredi 14 décembre 2012

Is Rafael Nadal Already an All-Time Great All-Around Player?

Though Rafael Nadal is notorious for being the King of Clay and Roger Federer's most emphatic nemesis, he has endured a prosperous career with victories that spanned all areas of the sport.
Winning the French Open a record seven times and achieving other remarkable feats on the slow dirt, he has succeeded by utilizing his defensive capabilities and unprecedented lefty spin.
Many critics claim the Spaniard has much more to do in his career to achieve the status of an all-around athlete.
This may not be the case.
He is one of only a handful of players to have won a career Grand Slam while also amassing over 10 Major titles. He has captured the Wimbledon trophy twice and the other two respective Slams once each.
He has won more ATP 1000 titles than athletes his age are supposed to have acquired (he and Roger Federer, who is 31 years old, share the record for most titles at 21), and four of these came on hard courts.
But are his six noteworthy hard court titles (the Majors and ATP 1000 wins) enough?
Surely, his accomplishments at the All-England Club have been superb, earning him two Majors and landing him in three other finals in his eight years of competition at Wimbledon. This is especially impressive since the grass season comes immediately after the clay stretch, and the adjustment can be excruciating.
Rafa even changes his game play and strategy for grass events, stepping closer inside the court and hitting change-up serves.
But his Australian Open and U.S. Open successes and failures are where his all-around game, or lack thereof, is exposed.
The Australian Open, surely the slower hard court Major, has seen Rafa play some of his most physically intense matches—the 2009 semifinal and subsequent final serving are prime examples. The 2012 semifinal and final matches were also brutal, though the latter is more memorable for the demonstration of incredible stamina and overall health needed.
Furthermore, he visibly showcased health problems with his knees in his matches against Andy Murray in 2010 (where he retired in the third set due to injury) and David Ferrer last year.
The time he won the event against Roger Federer, he was in sublime form, even after beating Fernando Verdasco in a 314-minute-long match. His win in the final was much more decisive than the 2008 Wimbledon showdown, though both lasted five sets and several hours.
The other time he was in the final, he narrowly lost to Novak Djokovic and the chance to have two titles in Melbourne.
But he has been extremely inconsistent at the U.S. Open. Unable to reach the final until 2010, he had constantly lost battles to players who had never been major performers at the time—Mikhail Youzhny, Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro, for example.
Somehow steamrolling the competition and only dropping one set all tournament, he finally won his lone title in Flushing Meadows once he arrived at his first final.
Unfortunately, Nadal was crushed in the next year's final by the same man that he beat when he won his first U.S. Open: Novak Djokovic. So, besides his tournament in 2010, his potential success has been out of reach, and he has only been past the semifinals those two times.
The most important factor in determining whether Rafa will be labeled as an all-around player will be his ability to defend titles or duplicate past triumphs.
The Spaniard has never defended a hard court title of any caliber, and he has not won many non-clay events in decisive fashion.
If he can continue to win big on all surfaces while remaining somewhat consistent, he can be granted the title because he truly can change his style to suit the surface.
But only time will tell, and perhaps his legacy may be left where he has always enjoyed playing—in the dirt.

Source:  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1445615-is-rafael-nadal-already-an-all-time-great-all-around-player

Rafael Nadal emphasises on the need of keeping a doctor alongside on a foreign tour




Rafael Nadal emphasises on the need of keeping a doctor alongside on a foreign tour – Tennis News
Seven-time French Open Champion, Rafael Nada, recently featured in an interview of the Aspetar Magazine that deals in the field of Sports Medical Journalism. He was questioned on three different topics: treatment, travel and trust.
While commenting about travelling to different locations for tours of Association of Tennis Professionals, the 26-year-old Spaniard stated that it is better to keep a doctor alongside on a tour because the need for a treatment can erupt at any stage without a precautionary call.
Nadal commented, “In tennis I don’t think this is necessary. Sometimes we go without asking the doctor of the Spanish Tennis Federation who is coming to watch the tournament and there is one official doctor for each tournament.”

He emphasized on the need of having a doctor alongside yourself on every foreign tour by stating, “When I travel outside of Spain, I think it’s very important to have a doctor by your side. Many times I have only been able to finish a big match or tournament thanks to the travelling doctor because he gave me a local injection. In countries such as America, the local doctors won’t usually give you any kind of injections so you have to rely on someone from your own medical team.”

The 11-time Grand Slam Champion wasn’t part of any tournament for the last six months due a knee injury that was inflicted at the second round of the Wimbledon. He lost to the Czech underdog, Lukas Rosol, in June at the All England Lawn Tennis Club and never returned to the courts to date; missed the opportunity of carrying the flag of Spain at the opening ceremony of London Olympics, didn’t take part in the US Open and couldn’t get fit in time to feature in the Barclays Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour Finals.
However, the wait is almost over. The Spanish superhero has confirmed to be back in action at the Mubadala Tennis Championships that will take place in Abu Dhabi from the 27-29 December, 2012. Other big names who will contest in that tournament include the likes of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.


 Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Rafael-Nadal-emphasises-on-the-need-of-keeping-a-doctor-alongside-on-a-foreign-tour-Tennis-News-a208533

jeudi 13 décembre 2012

Rafa Nadal Tribute

Rafael Nadal: What to Expect from Spaniard in Return to Action at Abu Dhabi







Tennis star Rafael Nadal is set to make his long-awaited return to the court this December, and with him fans can expect to see and hear plenty of emotional fist pumps and shouts from the hot-blooded Spaniard.
The 26-year-old Nadal confirmed on Tuesday that he will play in an Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament at the end of the month. Nadal will join Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray at the Mubadala Tennis Championship (Dec. 27-29), which serves as a warm up to January's Australian Open.
Nadal has won the tournament twice in the past, inspiring these comments from the 11-time Grand Slam champion on his Facebook and Twitter accounts:
Can't wait to get back on court in Abu Dhabi at the end of the month. I won the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in 2010 and 2011 - would love to get my hands on the trophy again this year!
Despite his eagerness to return to action, it's hard to predict which Rafa will surface in Abu Dhabi in a few weeks. Will we see the Nadal that dominated the field at the French Open last spring, or will we see the Nadal that we last saw limp out of Wimbledon in the second round nearly six months ago?
I'd say fans are going to see something in between.
The hard courts of Abu Dhabi are going to provide a solid test for Nadal's knee, but the exhibition-type atmosphere won't demand nearly as much energy from Rafa. Although we should expect him to arrive even more focused than usual considering the length of his recovery process.

Hi-res-137877705_crop_exact Clive Brunskill/Getty Images 
 
But given the stiff competition Nadal will face right off the bat, and the tournament's unusual format, fans should not expect a deep run to the final from Rafa.
Assuming that both Djokovic and Murray earn Day 1 byes, Nadal would have to defeat a fellow Top-10 player in either David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych or Janko Tipsarevic on Day 1 before then defeating either Djokovic or Murray in a Day 2 semifinal just to reach the Day 3 final.
That's a mighty task to ask of Nadal given that he returned to training as recently as Nov. 20 according to the Associated Press' Harold Heckle via Yahoo!.
As far as realistic expectations are concerned, look for the rest factor to pay off for Nadal in his first match on Day 1. I like him to advance to the semis comfortably. But that's when things get tricky. Rafa has struggled against Djokovic on hard courts, winning just 5-of-16 matches against him on hard surfaces. Meanwhile, the world No. 3 Murray is coming off a 2012 U.S. Open championship.

Another factor is Nadal's lack of consistent success on hard courts. Only two of his 11 major championships have been won on hard surfaces, his last hard court Grand Slam title coming at the 2010 U.S. Open.
Therefore, with a limited amount of time to prepare, fans shouldn't be surprised to see Rafa's run end on Day 2. Of course if he can win on Day 1, he'll still earn a spot in Day 3's consolation match regardless of what happens in the semis.
But a third Mubadala title isn't what truly motivates Nadal to play this winter.
Winning the Mubadala Tennis Championship won't make or break Nadal's career, because he will ultimately be judged by what he does in Grand Slam tournaments. Simply coming out of Abu Dhabi healthy will be a victory for Rafa.
Sure, an exhibition victory would be nice, but the real reason Nadal is playing is to build some confidence and return to form before the tournament that actually counts, January's Aussie Open.


Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1441005-rafael-nadal-what-to-expect-from-spaniard-in-return-to-action-at-abu-dhabi

What's Next? ATP No. 4, Rafael Nadal



 Our What's Next? series looks at every player who finished in the ATP or WTA Top 10 this season, and considers their future in three different ways.

Call it “rivalry interrupted.” When Nadal was rocked out of Wimbledon by the hot hand of Lukas Rosol, and then promptly pulled the plug on the rest of the year because of recurring tendinitis in his knees, he was denied the chance to re-establish his superiority over world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Curiously, Nadal went through something very similar in 2009, when he lost at Roland Garros for the first time in his career and then was unable to defend his Wimbledon title. That was back when his main and most storied rival was Roger Federer. Nadal returned to the tour in the fall of 2009, but he didn’t full recapture his form until early 2010.

In 2012, Nadal chose not to make a comparable attempt to salvage his season at the risk of playing before he was fully recovered. That was probably a wise decision, but it remains to be seen how quickly he can whip himself into tournament-ready shape after the longest—by far—layoff of his career.

Best Case Scenario: The “conservative” approach Nadal chose, partly to avoid surgery but also to give his knees a good, long rest and rehab period, could pay off for him—especially because the off-season for his rivals is so short.

Worst Case Scenario: Nadal learns that there’s no real substitute for being in the flow of tournament play, and crashes out with some early—and perhaps ugly—losses. I don’t even want to think about what may happen if his knees start acting up after a few weeks of the kind of stress you can only get from match play.

Australian Open Outlook: I wouldn’t expect a great deal out of Nadal in Oz, because his history suggests that he needs time to dial in his A-game and confidence. He hasn’t lost before the quarterfinals in Melbourne since 2005, however, so he should feel comfortable on the surface right out of the gate.

Source: http://www.tennis.com/news/2012/12/whats-next-atp-no-4-rafael-nadal/45643/#.UMqa8qya-LI

mardi 11 décembre 2012

Rafael Nadal confirms he will play at Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Rafa's return will commence in Abu Dhabi.
The former world No 1 Rafael Nadal, sidelined by a knee injury since a second-round loss at Wimbledon in June, confirmed via social media yesterday that he will begin his comeback at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi in two weeks' time.
"Can't wait to get back on court in Abu Dhabi at the end of the month," Nadal posted on his Facebook and Twitter accounts.
"I won the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in 2010 and 2011 - would love to get my hands on the trophy again this year!"
Organisers have said all along they expected the Spaniard to play in the elite, three-day, six-player Abu Dhabi event, but Nadal had cast doubt on the pace of his recovery.
Last week, he told Spanish radio he might not be able to play in time for the Australian Open, in January, and hoped to be at full strength for the French Open, in May.
His return on December 28, in the semi-finals at the International Tennis Complex at Zayed Sports City, will mark six months to the day since he lost to Lukas Rosol in the second round of Wimbledon, his most recent match.

Nadal, ranked No 4 in the world, will play the winner of the previous day's match between Andy Murray and Janko Tipsarevich. Murray, the world No 3, has played Nadal once before in Abu Dhabi, in 2009, when he defeated him to win the first championship here.
Novak Djokovic, the current world No 1, also has been seeded into the semi-finals and will play December 28 against the winner of the previous day's match between David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych, ranked Nos 5 and 6, respectively.
After his surprising loss to Rosol, a lightly regarded Czech, Nadal was found to have a partial tear of the patellar tendon in his left knee, and doctors later diagnosed Hoffa's syndrome, an inflammation of the fatty tissue, in the same joint.

He elected not to have surgery, and resumed training in November.
The 11-time grand slam champion in September complained that the ATP has too many events on hard courts. The Mubadala Tennis Championship is played on a hard court.
"I can't pretend not to play on hard courts when two of the Slams are on hard courts, but there is a mistake with our game," Nadal told The Daily Mail.
"You don't watch footballers playing on a hard surface, or basketball players, those sports with rapid movements. It's not going to change for me and my generation. Hard courts are very negative for the body. I know the sport is a business and creating these courts is easier than clay or grass, but I am 100 per cent sure it is wrong. I may have to play more on clay than before, but there aren't that many options."
The 2012 edition of the Mubadala tournament boasts five of the world's top six players, the exception being Roger Federer, as well as Tipsarevich, who is ranked No 9.

Nadal confirme son retour à Abu Dhabi

MADRID - Le tennisman espagnol Rafael Nadal, tout récemment remis d'une blessure au genou qui l'a éloigné des courts depuis juin dernier, a annoncé mardi sur les réseaux sociaux qu'il ferait bien son retour au tournoi exhibition d'Abu Dhabi, qui débute le 27 décembre.

« J'ai très envie de revenir sur les courts à Abu Dhabi. J'avais gagné le Mondial de Mubadala en 2010 et 2011 et j'aimerais cette année remporter à nouveau ce trophée », a-t-il expliqué sur ses comptes Facebook et Twitter.

Le septuple vainqueur de Roland-Garros et actuel no 4 mondial avait repris l'entraînement fin novembre alors qu'il était éloigné des courts depuis sa défaite surprise au deuxième tour de Wimbledon face au Tchèque Lukas Rosol.



Il souffrait depuis le printemps du syndrome de Hoffa, une inflammation de la boule graisseuse située derrière le tendon rotulien du genou gauche.

En raison de cette blessure, Nadal a notamment été privé des Jeux olympiques 2012, des Internationaux des États-Unis et de la finale de la Coupe Davis, perdue par l'Espagne face à la République tchèque.