RAFAEL NADAL REGRETS TO INFORM HIS FANS

RAFAEL NADAL
Photos: L'EQUIPE

The two reports below are from the Rafael Nadal website's home page www.rafaelnadal.com

NOVEMBER 02 | 2008

SHANGHAI

Rafa will spend the next couple of days at home resting a bit and will wait till Monday or Tuesday to make a decision on wether or not he will go to Shanghai.

Any other comments or reports made by the media in regards to this matter are not official and once we have a final decision it will be posted here. That is as far as we can comment at the moment.

Thanks for all of your support and hope you enjoy Rafa's latest Time Force commercial in the mean time.

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Rafa's Time Force commercial

NOVEMBER 03 | 2008

NOT PLAYING IN SHANGHAI

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

Dear fans and media reps,

It has been a long and difficult year where I managed to obtain great results, both on a professional and on a personal level. I have mentioned in various occasions that the tennis calendar has been extremely hard with practically every single week playing. This forces us players to put pressure on our bodies, making it impossible for a top level player to be 100% at each event.

On a personal level I had as one of my goals to become #1 during this year and competing at so many events might have harmed, specially at the end of the season, my physical condition, taking away the power needed to play at a high level in these last events. I don´t know if this has been a mistake or not but the fact is that with the goal achieved I also have to take one of the most difficult and painful decisions:

I have decided not to compete at the Masters Cup in Shanghai. As I say this is one of the most difficult decisions in my career due to the importance of the event and above all, due to the fact that I wont be able to share time with the fans in China and the tournament organizers that always have treated me in such special way.

I am deeply saddened and disappointed for my fans around the world that expected to see me in Shanghai. I do however, expect to be there again in October 09 for the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai.

I know that many people were speculating about this matter and even though I have yet not done any tests, I can honestly say I have taken the right decision. I want to recover and get ready for the Davis Cup final in Mar del Plata, Argentina. That is also another reason for not going to Shanghai.

Many thanks to all for your support and understanding.

Rafa

Source: www.rafaelnadal.com