Rafael Nadal (Photo : News via Getty Images)
Toni Nadal revealed Rafael Nadal will skip the Spain's Davis Cup tie against Romania next month as the King of Clay attempts to fully recover from an injury that will keep him out of Wimbledon.
With Rafael determined to be in full health for the 2016 Rio Olympics, Toni, his long-time coach and uncle, insisted that the 14-time Grand Slam winner will not play in Spain's Davis Cup second round match against Romania, which kicks off on July 15-17.
According to the 55-year-old coach, Rafa's goal is to play at the Rogers Cup, which serves as the world No. 4's preparation for the Olympic Games in August.
"Rafa's recovery is going well and in two weeks, he'll start training on the court, Cotorro told us. We will not take part in the Davis Cup tie against Romania [in mid-July], our plan is to play in Toronto because that will be good for us. It will be a good preparation," Toni said, reports Tennis World USA.
However, Rafa skipping the Davis Cup tie next month could have implications in his chances to participate at the quadrennial event, where he could win a second Olympic Gold medal in singles competition.
According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), tennis players must have played a minimum of three Davis Cup ties in the four-year Olympic cycle. Rafael has only played on two occasions since the London Olympics in 2012, which puts the 30-year-old in a potential participation in Spain's second round match against Romania.
Nevertheless, Rafa seems he could be ready to compete at the Davis Cup, with the Spaniard progressing well from a left wrist injury that forced him to withdraw from the French Open and skip Wimbledon later this month.
"Rafa is doing well," Toni said, reports the ATP's official website.
"The Federation doctor has said that everything is progressing as it should, in the time frame we expected. Now he has to start strengthening his wrist and his arm a little bit, and in two weeks we will start training step by step, working a little bit harder each day. The doctor said everything is on the right track."
Rafa needs all the rest he could get to be fully-recovered for the Rio Olympics, but participating in a competitive match is also a prerequisite for his preparation for the grandest sporting of event of the world. Certainly, Nadal's return to the tennis scene may be earlier than many have expected.
