- Title: SPAIN: TENNIS/OLYMPICS : Rafael Nadal hopes to be fit for the Olympics
- Date: 14th July 2012
- Summary: ===EDITOR'S NOTE: RESENDING WITH FULL SHOT LIST AND STORY=== MADRID, SPAIN (JULY 14, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SPANISH OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HEADQUARTERS
- Embargoed: 29th July 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAAJEAED0IDTQG7CDKJIOTDRA8C
- Story Text: World number three Rafael Nadal said on Saturday (July 14) he was doing everything possible to recover from his knee injury in time for the London Olympics.
The Beijing gold medallist had a disappointing early exit from Wimbledon this year and had to pull out of an exhibition match in Madrid against Novak Djokovic due to a recurring knee injury.
"I am doing everything I can every day to recover my knees," Nadal said during an Spanish Olympic Committee event where he was presented with the Spanish flag he will carry as he leads 281 other Spanish athletes in the opening ceremony of London 2012.
"After Roland Garros I have evidently had a complicated time with them but my excitement is at a maximum and I am working hard and I hope I will be a 100 percent in a week to compete with possibilities in London."
Nadal, who has won 11 grand slam titles and a record seven French Open championships, said he was looking forward to London and described the Olympics as the most important sporting event.
"Based on logic it (the Olympics) is the most difficult title to obtain because for most sports, for a tennis player, you have two or three Olympic games to compete in where you are fit enough to win, I'd say two," he said.
"If you are lucky with the dates it could be up to three but other tournaments you have many throughout your carrier and many opportunities but for the Olympics you have a few.
Nadal also expressed his support for Madrid as the host of the 2020 Olympics.
"I think it's time, over the years a great job has been done," he said. "I think Madrid deserves an Olympic games more than any other city, or in this case Spain. We've been trying for many years, but I will unfortunately watch it as a spectator almost for sure, but really it will be an unforgettable event because I was only six for Barcelona 1992 and it's probably the one that has been most etched in my memory."
Spain hosted the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992.
Nadal competed in the doubles at Athens 2004 and took gold in the men's singles in Beijing in 2008. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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