Australian Open 2012: Rafael Nadal denies criticising Roger Federer | Sport

Australian Open 2012: Rafael Nadal denies criticising Roger Federer | Sport Rafael Nadal has said he will now only talk about tennis after creating controversy with his comments about Roger Federer. Photograph: Shuji Kajiyama/AP Rafael Nadal thinks he talks... More

Australian Open 2012: Rafael Nadal denies criticising Roger Federer | Sport Rafael Nadal has said he will now only talk about tennis after creating controversy with his comments about Roger Federer. Photograph: Shuji Kajiyama/AP Rafael Nadal thinks he talks too much. Maybe he's right. After exciting the media on Sunday night by accusing Roger Federer of protecting his image as "a gentleman" who refuses to back players in the fight to ease their punishing schedule, Nadal on Monday backtracked as if hunting down a top-spin lob on match point. Federer, he had told Spanish journalists, finished each year "fresh as a daisy", which was beyond players who did not possess his languid skills. It was all right for him, but those who relied on a physical game ended up "burned" out, he said. And it was always left to him to carry the argument. There was wild talk on Twitter of a strike at the French Open, quickly denied. But the Swiss seemed to be isolated. He was painted as aloof and uncaring. On Less