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World
number one Rafa Nadal put his recovery from a bout of flu to the test
with a rain-interrupted practice session at Melbourne Park Tuesday
ahead of next week’s Australian Open. A fever-stricken Nadal was dumped
out of the semi-finals of the Qatar Open last week by Russian Nikolay
Davydenko and delayed his arrival in Melbourne to try to shake off the
illness. Nadal’s struggles had raised fears the 24-year-old Spaniard’s
bid to hold all four grand slams simultaneously might be in jeopardy,
with doubts over his ability to last seven matches in the often
oppressive heat of a Melbourne summer.

Heat was the least
of Nadal’s problems on a damp but muggy Tuesday, as slippery conditions
on court curtailed his practice session after about half an hour at the
venue’s Margaret Court Arena.

Nadal scooped the
French, Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns last year and will strive for an
Australian Open triumph to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969
to hold all four slams at the same time.

The Spaniard was
among a raft of contenders warming up at Melbourne Park Tuesday,
including last year’s finalist Andy Murray and former U.S. Open
champion Andy Roddick.

Leading women’s
players Venus Williams and Australian Open finalist Justine Henin also
warmed up, while men’s defending champion Roger Federer and world
number three Novak Djokovic were scheduled for training sessions later
Tuesday. Players’ hopes of acclimatising to Australia’s summer heat on
outdoor courts may come to nothing this week with showers and cool
temperatures forecast throughout. The Australian Open starts Monday.