Former world number one Rafael Nadal says he’ll use the upcoming Indian Wells tournament as an opportunity to test out his knee on a hard-court surface.
The 11-time Grand Slam winner has only played on South American clay courts since his return last month from a long-term knee injury.
Nadal has enjoyed success on clay since his return, but his future on hard-courts remains up in the air, given his knee issue.
“Today I know I can play on clay. I will try next week on the hard,” Nadal said.
“Playing tennis will be a process to adapt my knee to the competition.
“I hope I will keep having the chances to play the normal calendar as I did in past years.
“I cannot predict the future. I have to see how the knee will last at Indian Wells next week. Having the chance to play at Indian Wells is great. I didn’t know one week ago if I would be able to play at Indian Wells.”