World No. 1 Rafael Nadal says that the back injury he sustained in the final of the Australian Open is still bothering him. Top-ranked Serena Williams, who is recovering from a similar injury, says that her sore back was not the reason why she lost to Alize Cornet in the Dubai semifinals.
“When you get injured in the final of a Grand Slam and stop for two-and-a-half weeks it’s not easy to come back," said Nadal, who has reached the Rio quarterfinals. "The back is still bothering me a little bit. But I am happy with my decision to be here."
Williams — who pulled out of Fed Cup and Doha after losing to Ana Ivanovic in the Australian Open fourth round, conceding her back was bothering her — told @TennisGrapevine that her back was not troubling her against Cornet even though it appeared that she was not serving at her usual pace.