Miami – Rafael Nadal said he will work overtime for his start at the Miami Masters as he heals the ankle that he rolled this week during training.
Opening against either Sergiy Stakovsky of Ukraine or fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, the second seed said he managed to hit for 90 minutes after his injury Monday, but admitted the ankle still bothered him.
“I feel pain, and I was limited a little bit,” Nadal said.
But the duration of Tuesday's session exceeded his expectations: “I want be ready to be competitive. I didn't try to push hard. I don't know how it will be when I try to go at 100 per cent.
The 2014 finalist, who won in 2007, 2009 and 2013 in Miami, was optimistic after the workout.
“I'm confident I'm going to be ready,” Nadal said. “I thought it would be the end of the tournament, but I think now I'm going to be able to compete here.”
He will “for sure” be on court Friday, but was less certain about his level of preparation.
“This is an important tournament for me,” Nadal said. “I'm hoping I can train a little, but more tomorrow and then more the day after.”
Nadal, who missed much of the 2014 season with injuries, feels his game has improved during the last month and a half, with a clay title in Argentina to show for it.
He is keen to improve before turning to his favoured clay season and has shaken off a quarter-final loss to Canadian Milos Raonic last week at Indian Wells, California.
“It was a loss that didn't give me negative feeling,” Nadal said. “It gave me energy and positive feelings. I've been feeling better each week.”
With a handful of women's matches played Tuesday, top seed Serena Williams learned the name of her second-round opponent:
Monica Niculescu, who beat US player Shelby Rogers 7-6 (7-1), 6-1
in the first round. Williams had to get past the Romanian to win her Indian Wells start in early March.
Polish seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska takes on Slovak Anna
Schmiedlova, while 10th seed Lucie Safarova plays Swede Johanna
Larson, who beat Yaroslava Shvedova 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) on Tuesday. Victoria Azarenka will begin a bid for a third title during the day.– Sapa-dpa