Injury cloud hangs over Nadal
WORLD number two Rafael Nadal is still struggling with the back injury that ruled him out of last week’s ATP Cup but is hoping for some improvement before his first-round match at the Australian Open tomorrow.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion pulled out of Spain’s ATP Cup tie against Australia tomorrow with a lower back problem and said later in the week he was still far from the level required to play at the year’s first Grand Slam. Asked about his fitness, 34-yearold told reporters yesterday:
“Not great, obviously, because if not I would have been playing at the ATP Cup,” adding that he had been “suffering” for 15 days.
“I’m doing everything what’s possible to be ready for it. That’s the only thing that I can say. Today, I am still hoping to keep improving and hope to be ready for it.”
Nadal, who has suffered regularly from back injuries throughout his career, said he was not contemplating pulling out of the year’s first Grand Slam.
“I don’t think about not playing,” he added. “The thing is about in which condition I going to start the tournament, no?
“Is not serious, but the muscle is still tight, so is difficult to play with freedom of movements today. Let’s hope situation keep improving.
“We are doing everything. My physio is here, the doctors here, everybody is helping me in all possible ways.”
Nadal said he sustained the injury during quarantine but was not sure whether the enforced 14 days of isolation in an Adelaide hotel had contributed to his problem.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t want to think about that. That’s what happened. Normally I’m not a big fan of finding excuses or reasons about why this other thing is happening.”
With Roger Federer deciding to skip the Australian Open this year as he recovers from knee surgeries, the door is open for Nadal to move out of a tie with his great rival on 20 career Grand Slam titles.
Nadal has won the Australian Open just once, in 2009, but played the longest Grand Slam final ever against Novak Djokovic in 2012 at Melbourne Park and lost the 2014 title-decider to Stan Wawrinka after injuring his back in the warm-up.
The Spaniard is scheduled to get his campaign underway on Tuesday with a first-round match against Serbian Laslo Djere.
“I hope to be ready, that’s all,” he said. “I know sometimes things change quickly. I going to keep staying positive and keep doing everything I can.” SuperSport
Harry Kane’s return from injury helped ease the mounting pressure on Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho as the England captain opened the scoring in a 2-0 win over West Brom, while Leicester were held 0-0 at Wolves yesterday.
Spurs had lost their previous three Premier League games to fall off the pace in the battle for a top-four finish.
But with Kane reunited with Son Heung-min after missing the last two games through an ankle injury, both of Tottenham’s talismen were on target to push Sam Allardyce’s Baggies ever closer to the drop.
Mourinho’s men had not even scored in defeats to Brighton and Chelsea in the past week, but, after a goalless first-half, Kane showed what they had been missing with a cool finish to move level with Bobby Smith as Spurs’ second top goalscorer of all-time with 208 goals.
Four minutes later it was 2-0 as Son was sprung clear by Lucas Moura on the counter-attack and his shot had too much power for Sam Johnstone. Victory moves Tottenham up to seventh.
West Brom remain rooted in 19th and a mammoth 11 points off safety having taken just 12 from 23 games so far in their first season back in the topflight.
FOXES TAMED BY WOLVES Leicester remain third, but missed the chance to move level with Manchester United in second after failing to find their rhythm in a 0-0 draw at Molineux.
Jamie Vardy’s penalty when the sides met earlier in the season is the only goal from the last four meetings between the sides and chances were again at a premium.
Wolves enjoyed the better of them in the second-half as Pedro Neto spooned Adama Traore’s dangerous cross well wide before Kasper Schmeichel rushed off his line to deny Fabio Silva what seemed a certain goal.
Vardy made his return from injury off the bench for the final half hour and had the Foxes’ best chance to snatch all three points in stoppage time when he headed wide from close range.
Organisers of the Copa Coca Cola, the National Association of Schools Heads (NASH), have expressed their grief towards Covid-19, saying it has affected the prestigious schools football tournament.
NASH president, Arthur Maphosa said due to Covid-19 pandemic that forced a halt to sporting activities across the country, a number of young talented footballers have been hindered.
The pandemic has hit hard participants of this tournament whose dream is to get selected into the pool of the country’s best young athletes.
“This is heart-breaking. Many opportunities have been lost. It is every player’s dream to get selected into the Copa Coca Cola final team that represents the country at schools’ level.
“Many young ones have lost their dreams, particularly even to board an aeroplane and play in East Africa where the final regional games have been hosted in the past two editions,” he said.
Copa Coca Cola is a countrywide schools football tournament organised strictly for under-15 boys and girls.
The president of the headmaster’s leadership association across the country also said: “The most painful situation for these young boys and girls is that they missed last year’s edition.
“To worsen the situation, there is unfortunately no second chance for those who are now above the required age,” Maphosa told H-Metro.
Asked if NASH has designated something for players that have been missed last year’s edition as a result of Covid-19, Maphosa revealed that nothing has been organised yet.
“Currently we have not organised anything as we are bound by Covid-19 statutes.
“The Ministry hasn’t given us a go ahead to restart sports. We await Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education advice. Once a green light is given, it would be indeed a good idea to consider on doing something for the athletes who missed out in 2020,” NASH president said.
Furthermore, Maphosa urged future athletes to take heed that there are the country’s next generation in sport and they should also vigilantly adhere to the Covid-19 rules and regulations.
“Covid-19 is real, so mask up, wash your hands, sanitise and avoid crowds. Spare your lives for a better tomorrow. We want you there, remember you are the future of the country,” he said.
Khama Billiat has started light training as he continues rehabilitation following a leg injury.
Billiat’s manager Godfrey ‘Vokal’ Bakasa gave H-Metro an update:
“The positives are that he is out of the moon boot now and has started his gym work rehab,” he said.
The Kaizer Chiefs winger suffered a cracked bone last month after a crude tackle in Kaizer Chiefs’ 2-0 defeat to Maritzburg United. He was subbed off three minutes into the second half.
His club also released a statement.
“Three and half weeks into his injury, Khama has started gym exercises and is now out of the boot.
“We wish him a speedy recovery,” read the statement.
Reports of Billiat’s recovery comes as good news to Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic who faces crucial Afcon qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia next month.