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Rafael Nadal: "I don't know how my body reacts. I just try to be competitive for my first match tomorrow and let's see what happens"
"This week will help to improve my indoor game. I haven't played this week in the past years, so that's a plus"
 "It was a tough comeback but I try to stay positive. Injuries are part of sports and big part of my career already."
 "I take it day by day. I don't know wether I will be able to play on top when I'm 33. I just think about tomorrow."
"I try to stay competitive as long as possible. But whenit's over it's over."
"My objective is to be healthy and fit for the next season after all the problems I ve had recently"
 (Via @_shaering)

SWISS INDOORS BASEL 2014

BATED BREATH FOR NADAL IN BASEL

Basel, Switzerland

by ATP Staff

  | 

19.10.2014

© ATPRafael Nadal is playing in Basel for the first time in 10 years.

Scared. Optimistic. Both emotions are coursing through Rafael Nadalas he prepares to make his first appearance in 10 years at theSwiss Indoors Basel next week. 

The Spaniard has endured a turbulent second half to the 2014 season, missing the summer with a right wrist injury, before contracting appendicitis right before the second tournament of his comeback at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. But you won’t find Nadal bemoaning his misfortune.

“If I were annoyed, would it help? If you get negative, you don't work with the right energy,” the 28 year old told media at the St. Jakobshalle Basel. “So I prefer to be positive and do as I did during all my career.

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“I try to work with the right intensity and the right mentality to play the best tennis again as soon as possible. What happened, happened. The only way to come back to my best level is to work hard and stay healthy. I'm really optimistic that's going to happen again soon.

"I am feeling better. I've improved. I had to take a lot of antibiotics for a week and a half,” explained the Spaniard, who first became ill the weekend after reaching the quarter-finals on his comeback in Beijing. “I couldn't really play the match in Shanghai, could only practise one day there. I started playing again last Tuesday. I started slowly and I'm lacking in rhythm. 

“It's been a hard comeback for me after the wrist injury. But it's part of sport and part of my career. I accept that and will try to be healthy again. I have to do the surgery (to remove his appendix), but let's see how I feel here. I've been practising for three days. I'll try my best and let's see if I can be competitive.”

Having encountered adverse reactions to antibiotics previously in his career, though, Nadal is wary of more repercussions going into his first-round match against a qualifier on Monday evening. 

“It's going to be one of the most dangerous first rounds in a 500 tournament that I've played in a long time,” admitted the Manacor native. “I am not 100 per cent sure what is going to happen tomorrow. I haven't practised well enough or enough times. My body feels more tired than usual when I'm playing. 

“Practising is one thing, competing is another. When you compete you have the adrenaline, the heart beats faster, and I don't know how my body is going to answer. I'm a little bit scared about how my body is going to react. Some of my injuries have been after antibiotic treatments. Hopefully that won't be the case this time.”