Rafa opts to skip Queen's

LONDON - Rafael Nadal on Tuesday pulled out of next week's Aegon Championships at Queen's in order to rest and prepare for Wimbledon.

"Unfortunately, Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Aegon Championships at Queen's," organizers confirmed on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old Spaniard has had a hugely successful clay season, claiming a record 10th French Open crown last Sunday to earn a 15th Grand Slam title.

"I am very sorry to say that I am not going to be able play Queen's next week," the world No 2 said on his Facebook page. "I am sad to make this decision because I love Queen's, I won the tournament in 2008 and every time I reached the Wimbledon final it was after playing Queen's.

"I was hoping to take some days off and then be ready, but at 31, and after a long clay court season with all of the emotions of Roland Garros, and after speaking to my team and doctors, I have decided my body needs to rest if I am going to be ready to play Wimbledon.

"Sorry to all the great fans in Britain and to the tournament organizers. I hope to see you at Queen's next year."

Nadal has won clay titles this season in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid, in addition to Roland Garros.

He won Queen's in 2008 before going on to lift his first Wimbledon title, again taking the Grand Slam trophy at the All England Club in 2010. Wimbledon begins on July 3.

Roger's Stuttgart start

Meanwhile, Roger Federer will begin his grass-court campaign at Stuttgart on Wednesday, insisting that he's rested enough.

Bidding for a record eighth Wimbledon crown next month, the Swiss superstar has taken the past two months off after what he described as a "surprisingly successful" start to the year that resulted in victory at the Australian Open and then the Indian Wells-Miami Masters double.

"I was terribly surprised to win the Australian Open, and to back it up and win the sunshine double in Indian Wells and Miami was a complete surprise to me," Federer said.

Although 35, he has been in fine form during his limited activity this year, losing only once - a stunning upset at the hands of Russia's Evgeny Donskoy, then No 116, in Dubai.

While his own resurgence this year has taken him aback, Federer said Nadal's return to clay-court dominance was not so unexpected.

"I think Rafa winning the French Open is less of a surprise because he'd done it nine times before," Federer said.

"I was hoping he was going to dominate the clay-court season like the olden days."

Agence France - Presse