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.

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.

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.

London - Disappointed James Blake Monday issued a plea for a reduction in the ATP schedule after crashing to his worst defeat at Wimbledon.

The American who played the final on grass at Queen's club eight days ago against Andy Murray, was bundled out in straight sets by Italy's Andreas Seppi 7-5, 6-4, 7-6
(7-5) in the first round, duplicating his 2005 showing.

The defeat left the 29-year-old puzzling over what went wrong - and he thinks that a killed calendar is not doing any player any good.

London - Disappointed James Blake Monday issued a plea for a reduction in the ATP schedule after crashing to his worst defeat at Wimbledon.

The American who played the final on grass at Queen's club eight days ago against Andy Murray, was bundled out in straight sets by Italy's Andreas Seppi 7-5, 6-4, 7-6
(7-5) in the first round, duplicating his 2005 showing.

The defeat left the 29-year-old puzzling over what went wrong - and he thinks that a killed calendar is not doing any player any good.

The defending champion Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Wimbledon, which is going to start from 22nd June, as he was unable to recover from the knee injury.

Earlier, Nadal missed the Wimbledon tune-up tournament at Queen's Club due to knee problem but he came back to London to prepare for the Wimbledon this week.

Nadal was hoping to perform well in the two exhibition matches at London's Hurlingham Club on Thursday and Friday but he struggled in both matches as he lost his match against Lleyton Hewitt on Thursday and on Friday Nadal was defeated by Switzerland's Stanislas.

London - Rafael Nadal vows to return to 100-per-cent fitness as he battles the fluid on both knees which Friday forced the world number one from his Wimbledon title defense.

The sad Spaniard became only the fourth Wimbledon champion after Stan Smith, John Newcombe and Goran Ivanisevic in 2002 who has been unable to defend his title at the All England club.

"Not playing Wimbledon is one of the toughest decisions of my career," said the man who seized the crown from Roger Federer a year ago, paving the way for a rise to the top ATP ranking.

London - Rafael Nadal became only the fourth Wimbledon champion to fail to defend his title as the Spaniard bowed to his injured knees and withdrew from the event Friday.

The not-unexpected announcement came after the world number one tested the joints bothered by tendinitis at an exhibition over the past two days in London.

He was beaten by both Lleyton Hewitt Thursday and lost to Stan Wawrinka only hours before the decision not to play.

London  - With the final decision on staging a Wimbledon title defence yet to be made due to the poor state of his knees, Rafael Nadal could also soon be feeling the pain on court after being handed a difficult draw Friday for the Wimbledon Championships.

Should the world number one Spaniard decide later to take to the court starting Monday, his first task will be getting past grass-tough veteran Frenchman Arnaud Clement in the first round

London - Rafael Nadal's chances of defending his Wimbledon title were looking grim Thursday after the world number one was beaten 6-4, 6-3 in an exhibition match by Lleyton Hewitt.

Nadal, who lost to Robin Soderling at the French Open due in part to tendinitis in his right knee, appeared to be far from his best on the grass at Hurlingham club at the unofficial pre-Wimbledon tune-up.

Madrid - Defending champion Rafael Nadal dropped a hint that he will do his all to get past a knee injury and play at Wimbledon as he said he hopes to play a tune-up exhibition match later this week.

"I've kindly been invited to play the traditional exhibition at the Hurlingham Club on Friday," read an announcement on his website.

"It would be a good test for me to play there to see how the knee is doing, and it would provide the perfect setting to get some practise before Wimbledon."

Former Wimbledon Champion Rafael Nadal is still not sure about playing in the Wimbledon due to chronic knee problems.

The World no. 1, Nadal said that he is trying his 200 % to be fit for the Wimbledon but he will play in the Wimbledon only if he is 100% fit.

He further added that he has been playing with the pain in the knees from last few months and this pain was hurting him mentally as well as physically as his certain movements were limited by this knee pain.

London - Rafael Nadal will fly to London next Tuesday after undergoing medical tests in Barcelona and wait to see how his knee pulls up for Wimbledon.

The world number one is keen to defend the title he won over Roger Federer year ago at the All England club.

Nadal's management confirmed Tuesday that the holder will wait until the last minute to decide on his Wimbledon participation.