Rafael Nadal refuses to rule out strike over schedule

CORDOBA—A furious Rafael Nadal blasted the packed tennis calendar on Friday, even refusing to rule out a strike over a schedule which has seen him forced to play the Davis Cup just four days after losing the US Open final.

STRIKE THREAT. Rafael Nadal plays a shot during a Davis Cup semi-final tennis match against France's Richard Gasquet in the bullring in Cordoba, Spain, Friday, Sep. 16, 2011. AP

“I rule out nothing,” said Nadal, who gave Spain a winning start to their Davis Cup semi-final against France, taking out his frustrations on Richard Gasquet with a straight sets victory.

“I wouldn’t like to go as far as a strike because playing is what I like to do. But something has to happen.

“As the ITF (International Tennis Federation) doesn’t want to listen, it would seem that the only way to get things moving is to act in the strongest manner.”

Nadal arrived back in Spain on Tuesday, complaining that the physical well-being of players was at risk and that the Davis Cup was in danger of losing its credibility.

“It is unacceptable that two big events like a Grand Slam and a Davis Cup semi-final are so close together. If this continues, the best players in the world will stop playing in this competition.”

On Friday, world number one Novak Djokovic, who beat Nadal in Monday’s US Open final, pulled out of the first day of Serbia’s Davis Cup semi-final against Argentina in Belgrade due to fatigue and a back injury.

World number three Roger Federer, meanwhile, had to travel from New York to Sydney to play for Switzerland against Australia in a World Group play-off.