Nadal: I have a chance on grass

Rafael Nadal admits that it will be difficult to replicate his success on grass after a stellar clay court season. The Spaniard, speaking after he secured a record tenth Roland Garros title, discussed both the demands and possibilities of playing in the coming weeks.

“Since I have had problems with my knee, since 2012, playing on grass has been very complicated for me,” Nadal mused. “We’ll see how my knee behaves.

“Playing on grass is very special. You need to play at a lower level. The body posture is down. You have less stability.

“But keep in mind I played five finals in Wimbledon. I like playing on grass. On grass, anything can happen. I’m motivated.”

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Nadal is a two-time winner at Wimbledon (2008 & 2010) and three-time runner-up at the event. However, since reaching the final at Wimbledon 2011 he has struggled, and was absent from the event in 2016.

“I need to feel strong, low, and have powerful legs to play well in Wimbledon. If I have pain in the knees then I know from experience that it’s almost impossible. If I am healthy and I am able to have the right preparation I’ll have my chances.”

Nadal made tennis history with a record tenth title at Roland Garros on Sunday. The Spaniard, who became only the second man in Open Era history to win a Slam without dropping a set, and lost just 35 games en route to the title. He now sits second on the all-time Grand Slam list with 15 titles, three behind Roger Federer.

Nadal will begin his grass court season at Queen’s next week.