Daily Bagel: Nadal makes a rusty return in loss to Murray in Abu Dhabi
The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet.
• Rafael Nadal lost to 6-2, 6-0 to Andy Murray in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Nadal says he just needs more matches.
“The level of tennis for me, I don’t know yet,” Nadal told reporters in Abu Dhabi ahead of his opening Mubadala World Tennis Championship match against Murray on Friday.
“I practiced well, but when you compete it’s different. When you’re out for a while the comebacks are difficult always and here you’re going to compete against the best players.
“So it’s predictable that probably I’m going to suffer a little bit. But at the same time, I’m going to try my best to win, but win or lose, spending time on court will be a very positive thing for me.”
• Novak Djokovic was asked about the prospect of Nadal winning his 10th French Open this year. “I don’t want to talk about how it would, because I’m going to make sure it doesn’t happen." He said it with a laugh.
• Juan Martin del Potro has withdrawn from next week's Brisbane International. Is the Australian Open also in doubt? He joins a list of notable withdrawals that includes Marin Cilic (Brisbane - shoulder), Nick Kyrgios (Hopman Cup - back), Nicolas Almagro (Doha - knee), Ernests Gulbis (Doha - illness), and Dominic Thiem (Doha - illness).
• Hoping for a full recovery for Brian Baker, who went back under the knife again:
[tweet=https://twitter.com/BBakesTennis/status/550457363400908800]
[tweet=https://twitter.com/BBakesTennis/status/550457776019734528]
• Feliciano Lopez talks about breaking into the Top 10 and Spain's Davis Cup drama.
• Murray is in the market for an additional coach to travel with him when Amelie Mauresmo can't. He's also experiencing some left shoulder pain:
[tweet=https://twitter.com/ReemAbulleil/status/551046886396674048]
• Roger Federer hit a pretty awesome tweener against Stan Wawrinka at the Match For Africa.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkoZC87K-Vg]
• Borna Coric's goal for 2015: Top 50.
• Test your tennis knowledge with Tom Tebbutt's tricky tennis quiz.
• Serena Williams rang in 2015 with...Martha Stewart:
[tweet=https://twitter.com/MarthaStewart/status/551044415633244161]
• Sam Stosur has joined Twitter @bambamsam30. Amazing handle.
• Venus Williams says she wants to do "a whole lot better" at next week's ASB Classic tournament in New Zealand.
• Murray hits a left-handed forehand pass against Feliciano Lopez in Abu Dhabi. He smiled afterwards so you know he liked.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSHElJOfuDQ&t=3m53s]
