INTERVIEW - Reuters Q & A with Rafael Nadal

By Sreya Banerjee

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Over the past 10 weeks Rafael Nadal had little choice but to put his feet up and relax at home in Majorca while his rivals chased after the biggest prizes in the sport.

Instead of defending his cherished Wimbledon crown, Nadal had to nurse his sore knees and became an expert on how to overcome the effects of tendinitis.

Following his enforced break, the six-times grand slam champion made his comeback earlier this month in Montreal, where he sat down to have a chat with Reuters to discuss his rehabilitation, the crammed ATP schedule and his hopes for the U.S. Open, which begins at Flushing Meadows on Monday.

REUTERS: The U.S. Open is only grand slam event that you have yet to win. How does it feel going in to the tournament, especially since you were out of action for more than two months with your knee injury?

NADAL: "I think I am going to have more options in the next few years. The important thing is to feel confident with my knees and when I feel confident with my knees, I'm going to be able to practise harder and find my best performance as soon as possible.

"It's tough to say if I am going to be ready 100 percent for the U.S. Open. It's normal, isn't it, because after a long break and major injuries, it's difficult to be ready. But I will try."