Injury-dogged Nadal Tests Himself at ATP ChennaiPosted on December 29, 2007 World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, dogged by foot problems that are rumored to be more serious than his camp lets on, tests his 2008 mettle early this week as the top seed at the Chennai Open.
"At the moment, and according to the routine check ups carried out, I consider that Rafa is in the perfect condition to continue developing his professional sport at the highest level in the coming years, absolutely not considering this injury to be in any way a handicap to his progress," said Dr. Angel Ruiz-Cotorro, Nadal's doctor, in a statement. Nadal was also troubled by knee problems in 2007. The Spaniard's road to the semifinals in Chennai should be an easy one, opening against unheralded Frenchman Mathieu Montcourt, then either a qualifier or Russian Yuri Schukin in the second round, and either No. 3 seed and mentor Carlos Moya or No. 8 seed Marc Gicquel in the semis. Other seeded players are Marcos Baghdatis, Mikhail Youzhny, Nicolas Mahut, Jurgen Melzer and Werner Eschauer. Wildcards for the event went to Indians Vishnu Vardhan and legacy Prakash Amritraj, and Spaniard Bartolome Salva-Vidal, Nadal's pal who undoubtedly received a wildcard benefit from his presence. Also in the field is unseeded Xavier Malisse, who last year as the No. 3 seed steamrolled Stefan Koubek 6-1, 6-3 in the final. |
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