US Open not yet on the radar for Wimbledon winner Nadal (News Feature)

By Bill Scott Jul 5, 2010, 8:20 GMT

London - Two-time Wimbledon champion Rafel Nadal will not be distracted from his business to hand by any loose talk of claiming a first US Open title in two months.

'Right now I'm very happy to win Wimbledon,' he said on Sunday shortly after clinching his eighth career Grand Slam title in straight sets over Czech Tomas Berdych.

'We're gonna think about US Open in one month. Right I'm just going to relax and enjoy for me this amazing season.

'For sure the US Open gonna be one of my goals for the rest of my career. But right now it's time to enjoy the beach, fishing, golf, friends, party, and Majorca.'

Nadal has five French Open wins (2005-2008, 2010), two Wimbledons 2008 and 2010 and one Australian Open 2009, leaving the New York Grand Slam as the only major he hasn't won yet. His best results to date there are semi-finals in the last two editions.

With five titles since mid-April, including the French and Wimbledon in his pocket and a lead of nearly 4,000 ranking points over number two Novak Djokovic, Nadal can afford to disengage from tennis for a few lazy days.

'It was very difficult for me to be back at my best. I did, so it's a very important and emotional moment for me,' said Nadal.

'I want to enjoy that. For sure, I'll keep working to try to be in the US Open and finally try to win it.'

The Spaniard said that his latest success won't change his work ethic at all, it will only reinforces the idea that his rigorous training regime is right for him. 'I wake up every morning with the hope of practising and improving, hoping to play well another time,' he said.

'The last six or seven months of the 2009 season I wasn't ready to play at this (current) level. I was ready to fight, but not to play like I am doing now.'

Nadal suffered his so far only French Open defeat against Robin Soderling in the fourth round last year, then missed Wimbledon but was back at the US Open where he made the semis.

'The positive thing was that seven months is I didn't lose in first round, second round. I was there all the time, semi-finals, quarter-finals, one final in Shanghai (against Nikolay Davydenko).

'Without playing well, I had not bad results. That's very important for the confidence.'

Nadal said that last year, he merely resumed his normal training, not letting his modest result influence his thinking.

'I went to home to Majorca and I start to practise - and you now see the difference. Now I just want to keep working, be ready to work hard.'

The Spaniard is due for specialised therapy on his right knee in the coming days, which will keep him from the Spanish Davis Cup quarter-final away against France at the weekend.