Rafael Nadal opens up on knee injury ahead of ATP World Tour Finals: ‘I cannot predict it’
RAFAEL NADAL currently believes he will play at the ATP World Tour Finals but also admits he does not know exactly how his knee injury will hold up.
Rafael Nadal practiced in London today ahead of the ATP World Tour Finals
Nadal was forced out of the Paris Masters with a knee injury and looked as though he might struggle to make it to London for next week’s ATP World Tour Finals.
But the Spaniard now appears confident in his playing status ahead of his first group game on Monday, but concedes that may change at any point.
“Here I am. I’ll try my best,” Nadal said.
“If I didn’t believe I would not be ready for Monday I wouldn’t be here.
“We are working hard and I’m practising well, just trying to be ready for the action.”
He added: “I don’t have to make a decision. I’m going to play.
“That’s what my feeling is today. I can’t predict what might happen in the next couple of days but my feeling is that I’m here to play and to try my best.”
“I had problems in Paris only a week ago so I can only look at things day by day, how things are improving, how I’m feeling today in my practice, how I will feel tomorrow in my practice.
“I go day by day. When you have problems with physical issues you cannot predict what’s going to happen.
“You only have to work every day and not think too much about what might happen. That’s my experience.
“If something negative happens you accept it and go back home. But hopefully not."
And Nadal also refuted claims he had pressurised the ATP to make sure he played on Monday: Roger Federer’s campaign starts on Sunday afternoon.
“I didn’t have any request [for a later first match],” Nadal said.
“I didn’t ask for anything.”
ATP World Tour Finals schedule
Sunday November 12
12pm: Kontinen/Peers vs Harrison/Venus
2pm: Federer vs Sock
6pm: Rojer/Tecau vs Herbert/Mahut
8pm: Zverev vs Cilic
Monday November 13
12pm: Murray/Soares vs Bryan/Bryan
2pm: Thiem vs Dimitrov
6pm: Kubot/Melo vs Dodig/Granollers
8pm: Nadal vs Goffin