• ATP Tour

Nadal writes off Grand Slam chances

ESPN staff
October 12, 2010
Rafael Nadal claimed his seventh title of the year in Tokyo © Getty Images
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World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has written off his chances of achieving a Grand Slam in 2011 as "impossible".

The Spaniard completed a career Grand Slam at the US Open last month, and having won the French Open and Wimbledon could be only the third man to hold all four majors at the same time if he can win at the Australian Open in January.

Nadal claimed his seventh title of the year at the Rakuten Japan Open on Sunday, and could claim a record 19th Masters 1000 title in Shanghai this week. But Nadal believes a clean sweep of the four majors next season would be beyond his capabilities.

"I hope to have the chances to win four titles next year," Nadal said. "But for me, that is impossible. I will try to keep playing well, but the Grand Slam is not the case. That's for sure impossible, I think."

The nine-time grand slam champion, whose knee injuries hampered much of his 2009 season, is wary that his troublesome tendinitis may return and is just happy to be fit and winning tournaments again.

"Last year and the beginning of this was difficult and hard for me," he said. "So maybe for that reason I was able to push hard in all the tournaments, play with 100% motivation and try 100% in every moment.

"If you are winning, you want to keep winning because you never know when this is going to stop. So you have to do your best. When you are healthy, you have to enjoy the moments when you can because, the difficult moments are going to come back."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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