Rafael Nadal says playing at Wimbledon unlikely as he targets Paris Olympics


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Rafael Nadal has admitted that it is unlikely that he will risk playing at this year's Wimbledon after an injury-ravaged 18 months as he looks to regain full fitness in time for the Paris Olympics.

The Spaniard was knocked out in the first round of the French Open for the first time in his career on Monday when he was beaten in straight sets by fourth seed Alexander Zverev.

The 37-year-old missed almost all of 2023 with a hip problem and his comeback earlier this year was stalled by a muscle tear, before small niggles affected his preparation for the clay-court major where he is a 14-time champion.

The grass courts of Wimbledon are the next Grand Slam on the calendar, starting on July 1, quickly followed by a switch back to clay for the Olympic tennis tournament at Roland Garros that begins on July 27.

And it is this jumping between surfaces in a short period of time that concerns two-time Wimbledon winner Nadal, who has only played five tournaments since suffering a hip injury at the 2023 Australian Open.

“For me now [it] looks difficult to make a transition to grass, then having the Olympics again on clay,” said 22-time Slam winner Nadal, who is earmarked to play Olympic doubles with world No 3 and reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz. “I cannot confirm anything. I need to talk with the team and analyse facts.

“But I don't think it's going to be smart after all the things that happened to my body to make a big transition to a completely different surface and then come back immediately to clay.

“I cannot tell you if I will be [playing] or not [playing] in one month and a half [at the Olympics], because my body has been a jungle for two years. You don't know what to expect. I wake up one day and I found a snake biting me. Another day a tiger.

“It has been a big fight with all the things that I went through, but the dynamic has been positive in the last few weeks.

“I need to give myself a little bit longer chance to see if my level is growing and my body is holding, and then let's make a decision. Give me two months until the Olympics, and then let's see if I am able to keep going or I say, 'OK guys, it's more than enough'. Let's see.”

In Tuesday's first-round action at a once again rain-interrupted Roland Garros, seventh seed Casper Ruud advanced with a straight-sets victory against Brazilian qualifier Felipe Meligeni Alves.

Ruud, who won clay-court titles in Barcelona and Geneva in the build-up to Roland Garros, cruised to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory in just under two hours and will next face either Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain or Monegasque qualifier Valentin Vacherot.

The Norwegian was beaten in straight sets by Novak Djokovic in last year's final following a one-sided loss to Rafael Nadal in the 2022 showpiece.

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ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

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Short-term let permits explained

Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.

Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.

There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.

Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.

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UPI facts

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More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
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THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS

England

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THE LIGHT

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
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Arabian Gulf League fixtures:

Friday:

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Paltan

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2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
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2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
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The specs

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The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

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Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

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Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

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Updated: May 28, 2024, 2:55 PM`