Spanish tennis ace's ability to make a quick recovery from multiple ailments was thrown into doubt on Tuesday as he lost 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Michael Berrer in Qatar
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal reacts after losing his tennis match against Michael Berrer on Tuesday
Doha: Rafael Nadal's ability to make a quick recovery from multiple ailments was thrown into doubt on Tuesday as he lost 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Michael Berrer in Qatar.
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal reacts after losing his tennis match against Michael Berrer on Tuesday. Pic/AFP
This first round match was Nadal's first of the 2015 ATP World Tour and he appeared to have had insufficient time to recover from an appendectomy, and far too little match practice over the last two months.
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Doubts over Aus Open
Nevertheless, it was a humiliating outcome for one of the most successful players of all time, who had won the first set at a canter before his game crumbled.
Berrer is a 34-year-old qualifier ranked outside the top 100 who is playing the last season of his career.
Michael Berrer
Nadal has also been suffering from back and wrist injuries, which reduced his service speed greatly. And he appeared to cast doubt on his ability to take part, let alone be a contender at the Australian Open, which begins in less than two weeks.
"Little things didn't quite work out for me today," he said. "This is the third comeback of my career after injury, so we will see how it goes in a couple of months.
I also want to play in the Australian Open which is a tournament I like a lot. I don't know if that will be the case either, but I am going to work for it. If not I will be playing at Rio and Buenos Aires.
"The season is long. After coming back from injury you can't see the immediate moment, you have to look further ahead a little bit.
Now in my mind I have to practise well and try to be ready for Australia, but I know it can happen that I will go there and lose. Perhaps I will win a couple of matches there, I don't know," he added.
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