For completeness, I'm posting the press release which came via Benito on Rafa's continued absence from the Tour. I know you know the news by now, but I would be lacking in the service I provide to the lurking hatahs if I didn't post here what it said. So the detail is this ...
"Rafa Nadal would not be at the semi-finals of the Davis Cup and will stop for the next 2 months.
“I have to recover and I’ll be back once the pain is gone”
Manacor, Spain, September 3rd, 2012.- Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal will not play in the next 2 months and will stop to rest and recover his knee. Among other things he won´t be able to be at the disposal of the Spanish Davis Cup captain for the semifinals tie against the USA.
Rafa has partial tear of the patella tendon at the distal pole of the patella plus an inflammation of the Hoffa’s fat pad of his left knee.
Since the diagnosis of that tear, Rafa has been receiving medical treatment consisting on specific medication, physical therapy and a progressive program of rehabilitation and muscular potentiation.
For Rafa Nadal “I have missed the Olympics and the US Open in the last few weeks, two of the most important tournaments of the year and that I really wanted to play. I really want to be back competing and enjoying the tennis tour, but I have many years in front of me and my knee needs some rest. I will be back when I have no pain and able to compete with guarantee.
I feel better after the meeting with my doctors and happy knowing that the evolution of the past weeks has been positive and surgery has been avoided. I will continue to work with the plan my doctors have established to be able to compete as soon as possible in the right conditions.
I would also like to thanks all for the support I ma receiving these days.”
Doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro will hold a Press Conference at the Real Club de Tennis de Barcelona on Tuesday September 4th explaining all details.
*** Rafa Nadal won’t be doing press interviews in the next days."
It seems that Doctor Cotorro is due to speak today, so I've no specifics yet. But we're Rafa's fans, and perhaps its enough to know of the Hoffa's disease and shock, surprise, but there's still tendon issues in his other knee (I'm being sarcastic here). The acreage of internet space by the hatahs still bemuses me, as somehow its seems to be actually their right to be informed by Team Nadal of every single aspect of Rafa's injury, and thus the "new" news of a torn tendon is contrary to what was initially released. Cue much frothing at the mouth and bashing of keyboards. Funny how they miss him more than us ...
Toni was interviewed yesterday, and the gist seems to be that work for Rafa will start again in November with a view to being ready for the Australian Open. I think we all know deep down that we won't be seeing our boy play again this year. I miss tennis without Rafa in it, but if as Rafa says, he has many years in front of him, then take all the rest you need.
I'm happy that they've announced this 2 month window, because it gives us all a break from announcements. Rafa's being great with his Facebook updates, so he's keeping in touch via that medium. And I'll do what I can to keep things rolling on here.
Now then ... I must go searching for some new "Dose" pictures. I've got 2 months to fill ... ;)
Thank you, Wooffie. I appreciate your continuing excellent job of keeping fans informed (and beguiled with nice pictures, too!).
ReplyDeleteYes, his afflictions have not changed from the initial announcement earlier of the tendinopathy (the micro-tear) and the Hoffa syndrome. Thankfully, surgery for the tear has been avoided. We continue to hope that the inflamed fat pad behind the knee -- the Hoffa Syndrome -- will respond to the rest and medications and thus avoid any surgery there.
I don't understand the angst over Team Nadal's release of information. They are under no obligation to tell anyone anything about Rafa's health -- private matters, surely -- yet they've tried to tell us what they know when decision points arrive and when medical diagnoses are refined (knees are sooo tricky to diagnose and treat). I hope the doctor can set concerns at rest today, but I doubt anything short of permanent retirement will make haters happy.
The best we can do is daily demonstrate to Rafa our support and not pressure him with undue expectations. He's got enough on his hands, surely, without carrying demands from so-called fans for a too-early return which in any case he is not physically able to do.
Vamos, Rafa!
Yes, excellent sentiments, Melissa. As a fan, I don't feel short-changed by how the team have released information. As you say - and I fully agree with - they are under no obligation to release full blown details of what's going on with him. Its none of anybody's business, least of all those that spend their lives tearing him apart and writing terrible things about him.
DeleteHe's been playing since he was 17. He lost at Wimbledon and missed out on the next two biggest tournaments and for once in his life, he can actually "afford" to take just exactly the time off that he needs. Its no fun for me as a fan to cheer on Rafa wondering if he's in crippling pain in order to win ... and it certainly won't be for Rafa. He's doing the right thing by himself and for the longevity of his career. And yes, keeping together and daily support is what we must do over the coming months.
thank you, Wooffie. Even tho I have never met any of you Rafa fans in person...I feel like I know you from the posts & comments. It's great that everyone seems so caring & considerate of each other & "our dear boy"! I'm grateful for a place to go & read about how he's doing without hearing a bunch of NEG BS. Oh, and of course, the photos help too! We all want Rafa to be healthy...why should anyone ever think he should play in pain. Geez. Anyway, enjoy your life & resting time Rafa, we'll all be here when YOU are ready to return.
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky to have met a great number of the UK based Rafa fans, and to be honest, its only a natural extension of the friendship we find and feel when chatting to each other on the internet. I just want to be involved in promoting positive stuff about Rafa - we're sick to the back teeth of all the negative, hateful stuff. And its true, we will all be here when he's ready to return!!
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