MELBOURNE, Australia – Rafael Nadal has a new injury — a tendon problem in his right knee that nearly forced him to forfeit a first-round match at the Australian Open on Monday that he won handily.
Roger Federer, defending champion Kim Clijsters and top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki were also bothered by injuries coming into the year’s first Grand Slam event, but all advanced in more routine fashion and appeared to be over their ailments.
That wasn’t the case with Nadal. Bothered by a left shoulder injury late last year, the Spaniard’s right knee was heavily taped during his 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 win over Alex Kuznetsov.
“I was sitting on a chair in the hotel, I felt like a crack on the knee … really strange,” Nadal said. “I stand up. I felt the knee a little bit strange. I moved the leg like this two times to try to find the feeling. After the second time, the knee stays with an unbelievable pain completely straight. I have no movement on the knee.”
He wasn’t completely sure he could play but decided to do so after an MRI exam showed no major damage. although he still had concerns.
“I started with a little bit of a scare
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