Rafael Nadal seeks gold before top ranking

Rafael Nadal seeks gold before top ranking

SOON-to-be world number one Rafael Nadal says he is concentrating solely on the Olympics here in Beijing despite usurping Roger Federer as the best tennis player in the world. The day after the Olympic tennis competition finishes, Nadal, the current number two, will overtake Federer atop the rankings following 160 weeks in the Swiss master's immediate shadow.

But ending Federer's record 236-week stint as number one is not at the forefront of Nadal's mind at the moment.

"To be world number one is a great thing, I've battled over many years to achieve it and it will be great, but I've got no time to enjoy it,'' the 22-year-old said.

"I want to live the Olympic experience and enjoy that.''

Nadal only arrived on Monday and said after his first Bdeijing training session that he was feeling more tired th an usual, but he is hopeful that he will quickly adapt to the heat and humidity.

"I feel fine, everything considered, although not great,'' he moaned. "I've had a heavy schedule with no rest days.

"I only had one week off after Wimbledon and in the US I played a lot of matches.

"It's difficult to feel fine as I still have jetlag but I've got a few days to recover and hopefully come Monday I'll be fine and will be able to give my best.''

Nadal has played 17 matches more than anyone else on the ATP tour this season and his recent form saw him win five tournaments in a row before he fell to Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati semi-finals last week.

He may be considered as Spain's best gold medal hope here and probably even the star of their Olympic team but for him it is still a humbling experience to be a part of such a prestigious event.

"It's very special," he said.

"It's an unforgetable experience to be in the Olympic Village and to see so many athletes that I only see on TV and yet here I am among them. It's a marvellous experience.''

It has been a vintage sporting year for Spain who won Euro 2008, saw Nadal win the French Open and Wimbledon and then basked in the glory of twin tour successes in cycling with first Alberto Contador winning the Giro d'Italia and then Carlos Sastre triumphing at the Tour de France.

Had Dani Pedrosa not fallen badly while leading the German GP in motorcycling, thus also missing the US GP through injury, he'd probably still be leading the world standings in that as well.

It has all left Nadal hoping to add to the feel-good factor in his homeland.

"ATP points are the least of my concerns here, I'm here to support my country and I hope to win a medal for my country,'' he said.

"You never know what might happen. It's been a fantastic year for Spain and we'll see what happens here.''

One thing is for sure, though, that Nadal's team-mates have absolute faith in him, as world number five David Ferrer explained.

"He's extremely important for Spanish tennis and for us (his teammates),'' he said.

"To have the best player ever in Spain and he's only 22, it motivates each one of us.

"Perhaps it's impossible for us to reach his level but he's important for us.''