noticias y fotos

Nadal not seeking Slam

Rafael Nadal says he is not looking to achieve the Grand Slam of Australian, French, Wimbledon and US Open titles, despite dominating the first five months of 2009.

Responding to Agassi's suggestion, made this weekend at Wimbledon, that Nadal is set to complete the Slam this year, Nadal said he was still taking the season one match at a time.

"Firstly I'd like to thank Andre for his kind words," said Nadal. "This is not a goal for me right now. My only goal is to practice for the next tournament, I don't think about the Grand Slam, just the next tournament."

Rafa said that Saturday's marathon semifinal probably hadn't helped his court movement in the final of the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open but complemented Roger Federer on winning the title and ending his 19-match clay court winning streak.

"It's always better to have a one-and-a-half hour semifinal than a four-hour semifinal but somedays it goes one way and somedays it goes the other," said the Spaniard.

"Roger did very well, he played crazy around the court, moved really well. I didn't play my best tennis but he played much better than me."

Nadal said that the result, which ended the run of form that saw him win the titles in Monte

Carlo and Rome immediately before Madrid, had no implications for his French Open campaign.

"The important thing about today is that I have 15 Masters Series titles, not 16 Masters Series titles. That is the only important thing about today."

And the tournament top seed, whose head-to-head against Federer now stands at 13-7, said that the disappointing Madrid result didn't tarnish what had been a spectacular clay court season.

"For me the clay court season has been a dream. I've won a lot of matches, titles, I'm winning the race and I've defended a lot of points," said the 22-year-old.

"I am already qualified for the (season-ending) championships in London and that is always a goal. I've had a very good season so far and I'm very happy with how the first five months has gone for me."