Nadal’s rest has net gain
GARY FLYING AFTER DODGY TAKE-OFF
respect every single opinion and every single thing that avoids violence because violence creates disasters.
“There is nothing in this world that is more important than health and living in peace, and today we have not got the two things which in my opinion are the most important.”
Nadal is worried that there seems to be an unseemly haste to get tennis going again while the battle against coronavirus is being fought.
The 12-time French Open champion criticised that tournament’s authorities for shoehorning the event into the two weeks following the US Open without consultation.
“We need to come back when we are safe and it can be fair for everyone. We need to have patience,” he said.
GARY ANDERSON hopes he will become the first name on the PDC’S Low6 Home Tour trophy tonight – and the last. The Flying Scotsman (left) goes into the championship final group with the tournament’s only perfect record: Played nine, won nine. But the two-time world champion hopes he will not be defending the title next year – because that would mean darts had been driven behind closed doors by the coronavirus again.
Anderson, 49, only joined the Home Tour at the last minute after he initially withdrew because of insufficient broadband width at his house in Somerset.
Engineers came to the rescue in the nick of time and he said: “It’s strange to think I could be the first name on the trophy – and I hope I’m the last. If we are playing this again in 2021, we’ll know the virus is still around.
“I’m still getting used to the set-up because I’m useless with technology. Playing at home over the internet has been weird and I’ve found it quite difficult at times.
“But now I’ve come this far, it would be nice to win it. But I’m really looking forward to getting back on stage – I want the hunger back.” Playing on
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(main picture) (below) stage soon will not be an issue – but an announcement is expected within 24 hours about next month’s World Matchplay in Blackpool, which is likely to go ahead behind closed doors.
Anderson admitted there are logistical headaches facing the PDC and added: “If they move it to later in the year, so be it – but there is going to be a heck of a lot of darts at the back end of the year and you wonder if there will be enough hours in the day for all of it.”
RAFA NADAL feels that a two-and-a-half month break from tennis has set him up for another two years at the top – despite turning 34 two days ago.
The 19-time Grand Slam champion was unable to practise for two months as he was forced into lockdown in his Mallorca apartment which did not have a garden to train in.
But in a week in which he would otherwise have been favourite for another French Open title, the Spaniard insisted he was good for another two years.
“My mind was not able to think about tennis,” he said.
“I was thinking about the health of the people and the worldwide pandemic we’re suffering.
“I have not got a tennis court at my home – I live in an apartment, so I have only been able to play tennis for the last two weeks.
“I am taking things step by step and the main thing is to avoid injuries. But long-term, I hope to go back on tour and play for another couple of years.”