Nadal's season ends

No surprise, but he's called it off for the WTF.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/19712224

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/10/Features/Paris-London-Finals-Nadal-Withdraws.aspx

Seems optimistic afterwards though, but the Australian is coming not too long after. It'd be a catastrophe to miss that.

No surprise really. Lets just hope he's able to compete in Melbourne.

I would have loved to have seen him, but the likelihood of him coming back indoors was slim. To rush back to play on a surface he doesn't favour at the best of times wouldn't have been the best idea. He would have probably been beaten in all of his matches and wouldn't be great for his confidence. Rest up and be back for Melbourne! But I doubt we will see the best of him until Monte Carlo

Danny_1982 wrote:No surprise really. Lets just hope he's able to compete in Melbourne.

Well I seriously hope he doesnt.. with a six month lay off.. hardly having yet touched the practice courts and then his first competitive match a GS on HC... suicide- He knows he wouldn´t have a snowball´s chance in hell of winning that in which case he wont enter... or Ill eat my sombrero

I hope he does make Australia but, as has been said, you wouldn't rate his chances of winning very highly after that long out.

What could make things significant is that it is possible for David Ferrer to catch him in the rankings. Were that to happen, it may mean Roger or Novak having to play Rafa AND Andy before the final!

The gap between Ferrer and Rafa is 1635 points. Ferrer is currently playing Valencia and, with Paris and WTF to come, that is 3000 points available. And even more if Ferrer plays a tournament before Australia and Rafa doesn't.

I suspect the gap will prove to be too large but it is not beyond the realms of possibility.

if we are to believe what Rafa has always said in the past .. and that is
"I will not enter a tournament unless I feel I am able to win it"
I think we may safely say he wont play.. unless he has something up his sleeve he is not revealing imo I think the chances unlikely..
It is hardly the event you would want to test run a dodgy knee

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1375283-rafael-nadal-what-can-we-expect-from-the-spaniard-when-he-returns

I am quite concerned. I do wonder the impact this lay off will have on him physically and whether when he comes back whether he will be anywhere near the same level he has shown this year.

It is clear he is looking to play more clay events and less hardcourt events. I just wonder what Nadal will return to courts when this latest injury clears up.

Imo I think he will fullfill his engagement and play in Mexico as he has made that committment..and maybe his exho with Delpo in March. I think he will only make the REAL test on clay .. its without doubt his safer option. No way can I see Rafa attempting HC for a tournament before he has played one on clay.
I am in danger of repeating myself I know.. but Rafa is an all or nothing person once he walks out on HC he knows no other way to play and this is the danger until he is absolutely sure the knee will hold up. He would not want to take that chance at a hc GS as is the AO..to me his humiliation would know no bounds if it should be that he had to retire again because of his knees

Isnt he already scheduled to play Abu Dhabi and possibly another exho before then? From all the noises coming out of his camp it sounds like he is nearly ok to play. They have just taken the sensible decision there is no point rushing back for the WTF. Id be surprised if he isnt playing at the start of next year.

Well the messages are mixed obviously.. and when I hear it from Rafa and not the media then Ill believe it in the meantime
Seems strange as I am not even aware that he has taken to the practice courts yet.. but hey "As I say I am prepared to be proven wrong but I do not think he will play the AO

Quote from Rafa

"The only thing is to recover well. I don't want to keep playing every day with doubts, not knowing if my knee is going to answer all the questions" - Rafa Nadal

but why was it that a few weeks ago uncle toni said rafa will be back in two weeks!?!?

Its the Spanish all over.. LS they tell you what they think you want to hear ..
and that is not necessarily based on fact
It shuts the media up for a while doesn´t it ??? Anyway at that time it may have appeared to be a possibility.. and the knee has not progressed as far and as fast as he had hoped. When you manage to work out the mindset of a Spaniard be sure to let me into the secret

Don't agree with that at all HN. On the contrary, I think it causes a media frenzy!
By saying rafa is back in just two weeks, that certainly constitutes as a big statement.

But how can it go from 2 weeks which would have been around this time now, to maybe not making it for the aussie open and they keep on changing the date.
Did he strain it again which is why it wasn't two weeks? So much so that he may even miss an event another 3months or so down the road?

Agree with others that it was hardly likely Rafa would come back before the end of the season, especially on unfavourable surfaces and with few points to defend.
Hope he's OK for Melbourne. I don't like his style of play and usually want him to lose BUT I'VE MISSED HIM. To some extent the quality and the closeness of the matches between the rest of the big four have covered up the fact that a great player has been out for many weeks.
Wonder what would have happened if Rafa had been away for a long time in say, 06 and 07, when he was about the only guy standing between Fed and total dominance.

When did Toni say Nadal would be back playing tournaments in two weeks

LuvSports! wrote:Don't agree with that at all HN. On the contrary, I think it causes a media frenzy!
By saying rafa is back in just two weeks, that certainly constitutes as a big statement.

But how can it go from 2 weeks which would have been around this time now, to maybe not making it for the aussie open and they keep on changing the date.
Did he strain it again which is why it wasn't two weeks? So much so that he may even miss an event another 3months or so down the road?

Think you may may be twisting what was said by Toni Nadal a bit.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/9585500/Rafael-Nadal-may-be-fit-to-return-for-World-Tour-Masters-finals-in-London.html

Note he says back training in two weeks with the aim of of playing in the Tour Finals and subsequently D.C. There was no guarantee when he would return to playing.

Looks like the 'back training' part was optimistic as it looks like that has not even begun that yet. Recovery from injury can be unpredictable and often minor things can cause expected progress to be set back. Nadal will know how his knee feels and with the back up of his medical team will hopefully return to competitive tennis soon. However there is no point in rushing things if there is the possibility of breaking down again.

I dont care what Uncle T says anyway... If Rafa says he is playing in Mexico that you can believe if its Rafa that says he is playing in AO then you will be able to believe it..other than that do not place store on articles that or prone to misquotes from Rafa or Uncle T.. I will tell you again that Rafa has said he will not play any tournament unless he feels he is able to win it... he has also said one step at a time and nowhere have I see him say he will play DC, or AO and until I do I wont believe it. He has not yet taken to the practice courts.. come on chaps.. most of you play the game.. can you honestly see him being READY let alone physically fit to play the AO. Would you chance your dodgy knees on a hc slam in God knows how many degrees heat.
Ill put it on record and answer for it afterwards.. Rafa will play the clay court season and his first slam will be the FO.. by that time he will know that his knees are fully recovered .. if so... stand back because he will be fit and ready There Ive put my neck on the line.

Don't think it would be a catostophe to miss the AO. As long as he gets back for the clay season that has to be the main thing.

However he would probably like to at least play a few matches in Australia, even if he isn't in shape to reach a final.

There is an outside chance Mexico, or Brazil before it, is his 1st event of 2013.
But I do think he'll be back for Abu Dhabi, AO.