New York, Sep. 8 : Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal and his British counterpart Andy Murray have accused the US Open organisers of putting profit before player safety, after they rushed three important men's matches on to the courts while there were still spots of rain in the air.

Nadal was unhappy at having to play for 15 minutes while there was still moisture in the air at Flushing Meadows.

New York, Sept 4 : World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, who has become the new face of both Armani Jeans and Emporio Armani Underwear, revealed that posing in an undergarment is very `tricky'.

A 20-foot banner of his famous mug, naked torso and a hint of denim was unveiled recently at Macy's.

And according to him, though posing in underwear is nothing `really new', he has always been shy while dealing with it.

New York, Sep 5 - Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray advanced into the fourth round of the men's singles event at the US Open tennis here Sunday, while Samantha Stosur set up a quarterfinal clash against Vera Zvonareva in the women's singles.

Nadal won 7-6 (5), 6-1, 7-5 in 2 hours 39 minutes against David Nalbandian of Argentina.

The Spaniard will play Gilles Muller of Luxembourg for a place in the quarterfinals at the final Grand Slam of the year. Muller breezed past Russia's Igor Kunitsyn 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

New York, Sep 5: Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal sent shockwaves through the US Open on Sunday when he collapsed during his post-match news conference in New York because of severe cramping in
his thigh.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Nadal received treatment in the tournament's main interview room, flat on his back behind the desk.

"I just have cramping in my leg in front and behind, that's why I was so painful. I will train normally on Monday," the 25-year-old said later.

Move over Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal will take the field now! No, it is not the football field we are talking about here! It’s the Armani field, with and without the underwear! Nadal is the face of Armani’s Spring/Summer 2011 jeans and underwear collection! As he takes over the crown from Ronaldo, to which even David Beckham had been attached once, we guess he would not mind the limelight off the tennis court!

London, Nov 28 : Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has admitted that he is completely worn out after his recent injuries.

Adding to the 23-year-old’s misery, the most dominant player in the world last year crashed 7-6 6-3 to Novak Djokovic, which ended his World Tour Finals campaign with a third successive defeat.

“Sometimes your battery finishes and you have to go out and buy another one. At the moment, I just feel very tired,” The Sun quoted Nadal, as saying.

London, Nov 26 - One-time alternate Robin Soderling stepped up to claim the first semi-final spot as the ATP World Tour Finals moved toward the business end while Spain's Rafael Nadal dealt himself out of the competition with a second defeat.

Soderling fulfilled another tennis dream Wednesday with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 victory to end the 11-match winning streak of Novak Djokovic.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko left world number two Nadal winless after two matches and out of the running with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) result.

London, Nov 21: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has reacted to the claims made by former American player Andre Agassi about taking crystal meth in 1997 and lying about it to an independent doping tribunal to save his skin

“I haven’t read the book, but he is not saying the truth of everything,” The Times quoted Nadal, as saying.

“He is saying he hates tennis — that is impossible. One player plays for eight years and he becomes rich and he does not need to play for money and you hate that?” he added.

Doha, Qatar  - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will again start their tennis seasons with New Year's appearances at the Capitala World Championship before heading to Australia to prepare for the Grand Slam.

Officials at the December 31-January 2 event announced Monday that they have secured the top two in the world for a three-day, six-player tournament won last year by Scot Andy Murray over Nadal.

Beijing  - Rafael Nadal broke five times as he struggled before finally controlling James Blake in a battling 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 win into the quarter-finals of the China Open Thursday.

Nadal was tested by the American who was once a regular member of the Top 10 before a slide this season which has left him on 24th with only a pair of losing finals to show for his 2009 efforts.

Nadal levelled at three wins each in the series, having begun turning the tables after standing 0-3 in 2006.

New York, Sep 16 : Spanish professional tennis player Rafael Nadal was recently caught flirting with Colombian singer Shakira at Nobu Tribeca, where she was promoting her new album ‘She-Wolf’.

Nadal, 23, who has been dating his high school sweetheart Maria Francisca Perello, nickname Xisca, for three years, had eyes for no one but the 32-year-old singer.

“They were each there with a friend, but once they started talking, they moved to a table alone for some privacy,” the New York Post quoted a witness as saying.

Murcia, Spain  - Spain take heavy favourite's odds into a weekend Davis Cup semi-final clash with tennis minnow Israel even though the mighty Iberians miss Rafael Nadal due to injury.

The holders are hoping to reach a second consecutive final in the worldwide team competition as they take a 3-0 record against Israel into the September 18-20 tie.

London, Sep 8 : World No. 3 Rafa Nadal cannot win the US Open carrying a serious abdominal injury, according to former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski.

“At this stage of a Grand Slam, if you are not at the top of your game and firing on all cylinders, the other stars will jump all over your serve and hurt you even more,” he said.

Cincinnati, Ohio  - Rafael Nadal overcame two rain interruptions Wednesday to finally join Roger Federer and Andy Murray in the third round of the Cincinnati Masters as the leading trio scored opening victories on a lightning-fast hard-court.

Second seed Nadal stood two pointS from victory in a second-set tiebreaker when the second bout of light rain interrupted his momentum.

Montreal  - Rafael Nadal lost his number two ranking to Andy Murray Saturday as the Scot beat France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) for a place in the finals of the Montreal Masters.

Murray's victory means the 23-year-old will stand second in Monday's ATP ranking list behind Roger Federer for the best showing of his career.

Montreal  - Spaniards Fernando Verdasco and Juan Carlos Ferrero advanced to the third round of the Montreal Masters with straight-set wins yesterday as compatriot Rafael Nadal prepared to return to the game after more than two months of knee problems.

Tenth-seeded Verdasco beat Argentine Leonardo Mayer 6-1, 6-1 while the 29-year-old Ferrero continued a four-month run of form by eliminating French 13th seed Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).

But German Philipp Petzschner knocked out 15th seed Tommy Robredo to hand Spain a defeat, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4).

Manacor, Spain - Rafael Nadal admits he's heading to Montreal Thursday for next week's Masters facing the likelihood of an early exit after missing more than two months of play to rest his tendinitis-plagued knees.

"I'm aware that I am going to Montreal and Cincinnati (the week following) and to lose is logical," he said prior leaving for Canada. He last competed on May 31 when he lost to Robin Soderling in the French Open fourth round.

Manacor, Mallorca - Rafael Nadal pronounced himself quietly pleased after returning to the court after a month and a half away due to the knee tendinitis that forced him to miss Wimbledon after losing his French Open crown.

"I'm happy to be back on court doing what I like with a racket in my hand," said the number two ranked Nadal after spending an hour and a quarter in light training with his uncle and coach Toni Nadal.

Barcelona  - Even a slow recovery from knee tendinitis will not prevent Rafael Nadal from resuming his season at the Montreal Masters from August 9, his management reported Tuesday.

"Rafa Nadal underwent some new medical tests today in Barcelona," read a statement on the player's website. "He is slowly recovering from his injury, will resume practice next Monday and will re-appear at the Montreal event."

The brief statement is expected to be the last until the world number two returns to the court in Canada.

London - Rafael Nadal, the man who until five weeks ago dominated men's tennis and had relegated the legendary Roger Federer to second place, is now in his native Mallorca, counting the days for a return to the tour but still far from holding a racket.

"He is not playing tennis. He only touched his racket the week before Wimbledon, for training and exhibition games," Nadal's spokesman Benito Perez Barbadillo told the German Press Agency dpa.