- Australian Open
Silent Nadal desperate to shake sicknote image

Rafael Nadal refused to discuss the injury that played a huge part in his Australian Open quarter-final defeat to David Ferrer, insisting he does not want to take the shine off his opponent's victory.
Nadal received medical treatment for a leg injury during the first set of 6-4 6-2 6-3 loss to Ferrer, and his mobility was clearly hampered throughout the contest. The defeat provided echoes of the world No. 1's 2010 exit at the hands of Andy Murray, when he retired deep into the third set.
Nadal recently cited illness after a shock January exit at the Qatar Open, but he is determined not to make a big thing of Wednesday's injury, insisting he does not want to be remembered as a player who always made excuses following defeat.
"I cannot say anything about the injury. I would prefer not to talk about it," Nadal said. "First of all, I don't know anything and secondly, for respect for the winner and a friend, I would prefer to talk about the match.
"It is obvious that I didn't feel my best and had a problem during the match at the very beginning. After that the match was almost over.
"It's difficult to come here and speak about it. In Doha I wasn't healthy and today I have another problem. It seems like I always have a problem when I lose and I don't want to have that image."
With so much of the season still to play, Nadal risked causing serious damage to his body by completing the match, which lasted two and a half hours. And the popular Mallorcan confessed: "I tried my best but couldn't do any more."
Victory was Ferrer's fourth in 15 meetings against his compatriot, and his first since 2007, yet he took little satisfaction from the result.
"It's not easy, Rafa is a gentleman and played on after being injured in the first set," said Ferrer, who now faces Andy Murray in the semi-finals.
"I fought a lot and it was still not easy. I played aggressively and tried to go to the net but if Rafael was not injured I would not have won in three sets. It is a win but not how I wanted to win.
"I think Rafa can win the next four grand slams. He is one of the best three players of all-time. He is a young man and can do it."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
