Rafael Nadal (Photo : NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal could delay his return to the tennis scene and skip his scheduled comeback at the Rogers Cup in Toronto later this month.
Rafa has been sidelined from tennis action since suffering a left wrist injury that forced him to withdraw from the French Open and miss Wimbledon. The 30-year-old Spaniard is scheduled to return at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto, slated on July 25, but according to his uncle and long-time coach Toni, Rafael could suspend his return due to injury "issues."
"During the initial practice sessions there are always have some issues because the arm has to gather strength. It's normal," Toni told Cadena Ser as translated by Tennis World USA.
"By next week we will practice with more intensity and we will get closer to have a normal practice session. We have to go step-by-step. We do not want to do anything that can prejudice our main goal, of playing at the Rio Olympics."
Clearly, Rafa's main goal is to be in full health ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil, where the 14-time Grand Slam winner gets a chance to win his second men's singles Gold Medal. However, despite guarantees from Rafa of an appearance in the quadrennial sporting event, where he also happens to be Spain's flag-bearer, the King of Clay admitted he is not sure whether he could play in great form.
"I will be there and that's the most important thing, but I do not know how my level of tennis would be. The wrist is better, it was an unfortunate injury because things were going well and I was enjoying the competition, which I could not do in 2015," Rafa said during an event in Madrid.
This is somewhat in contrast to what Rafa's doctor revealed to Spanish media outlet AS.
Angel Ruiz Cotorro, a Spanish Federation doctor, guaranteed that the 14-time Grand Slam winner is on a "very good path" towards recovery, insisting that "training with intensity and the competition will help him [Rafael Nadal] to have rhythm" for the Olympic Games.
Rafa will need all the preparations he could get to be ready for Rio next month, and that includes his participation at the Rogers Cup, where he could face defending champion Andy Murray and career rival Novak Djokovic.
But if Rafa competing in Canada could cost him an appearance at the Olympics, it would probably be better for him to wait until August to stage a tennis comeback.
