No time to go down memory lane: Nadal

LONDON: Ten years older, 10 years more battle-weary and injuryhardened and with a decade’s worth of extra silverware, Rafael Nadal returns to the scene of his most epic triumph against Roger Federer still believing he can reawaken his Wimbledon best.

Yet amid all the fond reminiscing about the anniversary of the 2008 final, with Nadal’s five-set victory still seen as the sport’s finest match, Spain’s world No.1 was in no mood to stroll down memory lane at the All England Club on Saturday.

Certainly not when he has a third Wimbledon to win.

“Today, I see that (match as) like a long time ago,” Nadal told reporters, adding with a smile: “But the good thing is I still here. I am happy for that.”

And happy that, after being crowned French Open champion for the 11th time at Roland Garros, he still feels he has a genuine shout at lifting the title again for the first time in eight years.

“I’m feeling good...expectations are always high. I am not here to play the tournament; I am here to try to have a good result,” the 32-year-old said, adamant that he can put behind him a string of more recent disappointments in London SW19.

Since his last appearance in the final in 2011, Nadal has made a series of unexpected early exits at the hands of unheralded players like Lukas Rosol, Steve Darcis and Dustin Brown and he also missed the 2016 Championships with injury.