MADRID: Rafael Nadal will miss next month’s ATP World Tour Masters Series events in Miami and Indian Wells, the Madrid sports daily Marca reported yesterday.
The 11-time Grand Slam champion has only recently returned to the court after a seven-month injury lay-off with a persistent knee problem but has decided to only play on clay courts as he prepares his bid for an eighth French Open title in May.
Nadal, who began his campaign at the Mexico Open in Acapulco late yesterday against Argentine Diego Schwartzman, won the Brazil Open in just his second tournament since his return a fortnight ago.
But he admitted on arriving in Mexico that his knee was still was not 100 percent.
“It’s better and I’ve been able to compete but it’s still bothering me,” he said.
“It’s better on some days and worse on others, which isn’t ideal for someone like me, because my idea of competing is based on giving it all at all times.”
In Acapulco, Nadal is the second seed behind Ferrer, the world number four who arrives in Mexico fresh from a successful title defence in Buenos Aires.
Ferrer, 30, earned his 20th career title and his second of 2013 on Sunday and will be going for a fourth straight Acapulco crown.
The men’s field for this combined ATP and WTA event also includes 2008 champion Nicolas Almagro and Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, a semi-finalist last year who lost to Ferrer in the Buenos Aires final
The women’s field is headed by Sara Errani. AFP
