Passion returns for Nadal at Australian Open
MELBOURNE — 2009 champion Rafael Nadal begins his Australian Open campaign today against American Alex Kuznetsov, with the second seed still planning to stick to his programme of taking time off in February no matter how far he progresses over the next fortnight at Melbourne Park.
"I'm here in Australia 2012 with big motivation, with big passion, and trying to enjoy the previous weeks," said the 25-year-old who ended 2011 on a down note as his game and mind ran out of energy and passion in the closing stages.
The ten-time Grand Slam winner has not lifted a trophy since claiming the French Open in June and missed several weeks of December offseason training due to a lingering shoulder injury which he now says is fine.
"I'm happy, I'm practising well. I'm enjoying everything and I will try to be ready for tomorrow," said the Spaniard.
Nadal announced last month that he would take time off next month during a crowded season which also includes the London Olympics.
"This is not football where you have your matches, your calendar. We make out a calendar every day. It doesn't depend on how many events you play, it depends how many matches you play."
The world No 2 also said that he will cut down on his public complaints and criticisms of what he sees as injustices in tennis after getting nowhere with laments in the past over the Davis Cup and ATP schedules plus the distribution of prize money at the majors.
As vice-president of the ATP Player Council, Nadal has a public forum, but he says all of his talking has only gained him notoriety and has accomplished nothing so far.
He refused to be drawn out on discussions held on Saturday at an annual player meeting.
Nadal has his thoughts, but he's not making them public anymore.
"I'm the one who in the past talked a lot about the calendar, talked a lot about the Davis Cup, talked a lot about the problem with the US Open.
"Now I am not going to be the one who keep talking about a lot of things. I want to talk when we have real chances to make things happen.
"At the end of the day I look like I am the one who always talk about things that must change, and I don't win anything on that. I just lose time, energy, and the people can think that he's always the one who says the bad things, the negative things."
In other opening-day matches, third-seeded Roger Federer plays Russian Alexander Kudryavtsev with the Swiss happy with the state of his back. He had spasms in Doha at the start of the season and had to quit before a semifinal match.
Czech No 7 Tomas Berdych starts with Spain's Albert Ramos, while Argentine Juan Del Potro, seeded 11th, faces Adrian Mannarino of France.
Crises of confidence, shouting matches with her husbandcoach and alternate waves of criticism — tennis has rarely been a smooth ride for China’s Li Na.
The tattooed 29-year-old returns to Melbourne Park, the scene of her trailblazing run to the final that set up a platform for an unlikely French Open victory over champion Francesca Schiavone in June.
The first Grand Slam singles winner from an Asian nation, Li has made a career of defying convention, from breaking away from China’s Soviet-style sports regime to manage her own team, to shat- tering the stereotype of the humourless Chinese athlete with her acerbic wit. Li also dashed expectations by crashing spectacularly after her French Open title, when many thought it a precursor to a golden run.
Li was knocked out in the second round at Wimbledon and the first at the US Open and finished the season in torment with tennis watchers at home claiming she had slacked off training to do fashion shoots and pander to sponsors.
And yet, tennis writers polishing their obituaries, Li has declared she is back after an encouraging run at the Hopman Cup and a final appearance in the Sydney International.
“I won six matches in a row,” said Li, who upset world number two and Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the semi-finals at Sydney before losing to third-ranked Victoria Azarenka in the final.
Victoria Azarenka starts with Briton Heather Watson, holder Kim Clijsters plays Maria Joao Koehler of Portugal and WTA number one Caroline Wozniacki faces Australian Anastasia Rodionova. — dpa