Rafael Nadal advanced to the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday in his quest to complete a career Grand Slam but a right abdominal muscle injury brought new health concerns for the Spanish third seed.
Rafael Nadal advanced to the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday in his quest to complete a career Grand Slam but a right abdominal muscle injury brought new health concerns for the Spanish third seed.
Nadal received abdominal treatment from a trainer in the third set of a 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 32nd-ranked countryman Nicolas Almagro and his reluctance to speak about it after the match added more fitness worries.
"I don't want to talk about injuries," Nadal said. "I try my best every day. I won the match in three sets."
Pressed on whether or not the treatment helped him in the third set, the six-time Grand Slam winner replied, "I won 6-4. You can see I didn't serve very fast but I think I played better from the baseline than before."
Nadal called the trainer after breaking to pull within 2-1 in the third set.
After laying on his back on the concrete for treatment of what could be a flare-up of a muscle strain suffered last month at Cincinnati, Nadal held serve, broke for a 3-2 edge and served out to win despite discomfort.
"I feel it a little bit now but I will try to recover in time for my next match," Nadal said moments after the final point.
"I have to come out ready for the next match," Nadal said. "For today it was enough but for sure I can do better."
Nadal, the reigning Australian Open champion, is coming off a two-month layoff due to knee tendinitis, a break that kept him from defending his 2008 Wimbledon crown.
"I just plan to keep on improving my tennis and keep playing this tournament because it's special to me," Nadal said. "It's special motivation when you try to come back and play your best as fast as possible."
Other resultsJuan Carlos Ferrero (24) bt Gilles Simon (9) 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 1-0, retired, Fernando Gonzalez (11) bt Tomas Berdych (17) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (7) bt Julien Benneteau 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-4, Juan Martin Del Potro (6) bt Daniel Koellerer 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Gael Monfils (13) bt Jose Acasuso 6-3, 6-4, 1-0, retired
