Tennis: Nadal falls foul of injury and weather

Rafael Nadal had hoped that his physical problems were behind him when he arrived at the US Open a fortnight ago but the Spaniard will be forced to take another break from the game once his tournament is over.

Nadal, whose hopes of completing his quarter-final against Fernando Gonzalez yesterday were dashed by rain, has been advised by doctors to rest after aggravating a stomach muscle injury he sustained last month.

The world No 3 yesterday withdrew from Spain's Davis Cup semifinal against Israel next week, though he plans to attend the tie as a spectator.

Toni Nadal, the Australian Open champion's coach and uncle, said that the injury had been "very, very bad" on Friday, when he had on-court treatment as he played the best part of two sets against Gonzalez before rain intervened. It's unsure whether he will return for the next Masters tournament in Shanghai next month.

It has been a difficult summer for Nadal, who took two months out after the French Open because of tendinitis in both his knees. He returned in the back-to-back Masters events in Montreal and Cincinnati last month and looked to be coping with the stomach problem until it flared up again on Friday.

Roger Federer must have been one of the only men here with a smile on his face as rain and gusting winds cut a swathe through the final weekend for the second year in succession.

Federer, having already secured his place in the last four against Novak Djokovic, was able to put his feet up, while his greatest rival, Nadal, spent a frustrating day in the players' lounge at the mercy of the weather.

Play was eventually called off at 6pm (local time) as tournament organisers prepared for a Monday - and maybe even a Tuesday - finish.

The weather forecast overnight was not much better, but the Nadal-Gonzalez match was scheduled to resume earlier than normal, followed by the two women's semifinals (Serena Williams against Kim Clijsters and Yanina Wickmayer against Caroline Wozniacki).

The players dealt with Friday's delays in various ways. Wozniacki spent some time practicing indoors, then stopped by the cafeteria, then wandered the hallways of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"They cancelled my match for today! U all have to wait until tomorrow!! (I have to wait too) I love u all for sticking around to watch!! Xxx S," Williams wrote on her Twitter feed.

Clijsters plunked herself down on the arm of a couch in the players' lounge, chatting with pals. "That's tennis. That's life," said Clijsters, who returned to the tour last month after a two-year retirement. "It's nothing new. I'd rather be here than sitting at home."

Today's provisional programme features the men's semifinals during the day and the women's final in the evening, with the men's final pencilled in for Monday afternoon (Tuesday NZT).

Nadal and Gonzalez are potentially the biggest victims of the weather and will have every reason to feel hard done by.

The weather had been good enough on Friday for Juan Martin del Potro, the third man into the last four, to complete a four-set victory over Marin Cilic, but tournament organisers chose not to stage the last quarter-final at the same time on another court, despite weather forecasts predicting rain in the evening.

Subsequently, Gonzalez and Nadal spent five hours trying to play their match in the night session. Nadal took the first set on a tie-break and the score was 2-2 in the second when the players were forced off court for an hour and a quarter.

They returned and were playing a second-set tie-break, with Gonzalez serving at 2-3, when rain halted proceedings for a second time. Two hours later, at just after midnight, play was called off for the day.

Whatever happens now, Nadal and Gonzalez know that if they reach the final they will have to play at least three days in succession.

With Wimbledon having built a sliding Centre Court roof and the French Open planning to install a retractable cover by 2014, the US Open will soon be the only Grand Slam tournament with no facility to play during rain.

The weather problems are compounded by the fact there are no covers on the courts.

- INDEPENDENT, ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AP