Nadal blames defeat on fatigue and injuries

MELBOURNE, Jan 24 (Reuters) Rafael Nadal was feeling more than mental anguish after his run at the Australian Open was halted by swashbuckling Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in the quarter-finals today.

''He was playing at a very good level. It wasn't good for me... I couldn't play at 100 percent,'' the world number two said after his 6-2 6-4 6-3 defeat.

''I have problems in my leg so I couldn't run a lot. It was difficult to play a quarter-final like this.'' The Spaniard said he picked up the injury after his late night five-set encounter with Briton Andy Murray in the fourth round two days ago.

He was at a loss to explain how he sustained the injury but said the four-hour marathon with Murray had taken its toll.

Attempting to reach the semis here for the first time, he took an injury time-out in the third set but that only delayed the inevitable for the normally combative Nadal.

''I have pain not just in one place, I have it in my famous arse,'' he added pointing to his backside.

''I had problems in my leg so I couldn't run properly. I just felt very tired. It was disappointing for me. Walking right now I have a lot of pain. It's more than just feeling tired.'' Nadal, who has now failed to reach a final of any kind since losing to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon showpiece last July, wants to overcome his injury woes before the Davis Cup clash against Switzerland next month.

He plans to have the injury assessed once he flies back to Spain on Friday.

''I want to play in Davis Cup after one week. That's my goal anyway,'' said Nadal, who had pulled out of the Sydney International earlier this month with a thigh strain.

''I want to be 100 percent fit. Playing for your country is always special.'' REUTERS DH MIR RAI2051