Rafael Nadal may miss Wimbledon

Rafael Nadal was beaten by Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in straight sets yesterday at a Wimbledon warm-up tournament at Hurlingham, and his back-up team admitted yesterday that he may be forced out of the grand slam by the recurring tendinitis in both knees that has blighted his career.

His coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, told reporters that while they would wait until after today's exhibition game against Stanislav Wawrinka. "At the moment it's very difficult to play at Wimbledon, his knees are not good, he cannot bend," he said. "This is his first match, we wait." Nadal himself looked frustrated as he made mistakes and lost the game 6-4, 6-3.

"Today was as close to reality as I could get," Rafael Nadal said. "It was a real test. I will come back and play again and then make my decision about playing at Wimbledon or not." If Nadal is forced out of Wimbledon then home hopeful Andy Murray will become second seed and avoid, in theory, a match-up with Roger Federer until the final of the tournament.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
Simon Camber, the Guardian: "The final decision will rest with Nadal, who was due to play Stanislav Wawrinka tomorrow but the Spaniard promised last week that he will not play unless he is 100% fit and he knows that, if he pushes himself too hard, he may risk ­causing further damage. Those close to him suggest winning the US Open – and completing a career grand slam – is his goal for this year so anything that endangers that possibility is a serious risk. Moreover, if he is not able to bend properly, it will affect every part of his game, especially his serve, which requires him to bend low to push up and create power. Nadal will be desperate to play after the manner of his victory last year, when he beat Roger Federer 9–7 in the fifth set in what is widely regarded as the best final in Wimbledon's history. But reality must set in at some stage."

Neil Harman, the Times: "Rafael Nadal will play one last semi-serious match this afternoon before deciding if he should risk his fragile knees and walk out on Monday to defend his Wimbledon singles title. The Spaniard’s crestfallen manner for much of the 72 hours he has spent in London suggests that even if he chooses to play, he surely cannot last a full two weeks. Nadal has confirmed that he will make up his mind after a match against Stanislas Wawrinka, of Switzerland, as part of the BNP Paribas Fortis Challenge at the Hurlingham Club, West London. At the same venue yesterday, he looked discomfited and anxious in a straight-sets loss to Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 Wimbledon champion."

Oliver Brown, Daily Telegraph: "Nadal had taken up the offer to play at the Hurlingham's Fortis Classic specifically to fine-tune his game on grass, but Thursday's 'exhibition' against Hewitt was never likely to be true to its billing, with both of these full-hearted competitors going for their shots from the outset. Nadal wore no strapping on his knees but he was suffering strain in both, failing to get down for low half-volleys that he would have found routine last year." ·