Rafael Nadal will need all of his vast physical resources when he starts the second week of the Australian Open while still feeling the effects of a virus he picked up at the beginning of the year, dpa reported.
After holding off a challenge in the third round from Aussie teenager Bernard Tomic, the Spanish world number one admitted that his possible road to a title will be made even more difficult if he cannot fully regain his health.
"Hopefully I'm gonna improve, I don't know what's going on," said the top seed who dreams of winning a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title. "I'm doing all that I can."
"I'm working, I'm resting. I can't do more. If I don't feel perfect, it's not my fault. All I can do is keep fighting. I have my (special Mallorca) biscuits here. If I eat more, maybe I am better next week."
Nadal will take on Marin Cilic in his next match, with the powerful Croatian having won their only previous meeting in Beijing two years ago. "Every day right now is gonna be really difficult. The next match will be difficult and I have to be ready to play my best tennis."
"That's part of the game. It's impossible to win easy in this sport. All the players are really good and very competitive. But that's normal."
Nadal said his health problems stated when he got to Doha in the first weekend of January for the start of the 2011 ATP season. "I wasn't feel very well, I had fever."
"It seems like after that, my body is still not perfect. I'm sweating more than usual. I'm more tired than usual when I'm playing. That's what happening right now - that's the truth."
Nadal confesses he still feeling effects of New Year's virus
Rafael Nadal will need all of his vast physical resources when he starts the second week of the Australian Open while still feeling the effects of a virus he picked up at the beginning of the year, dpa reported.
