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Manacor - Rafael Nadal admits he's heading to Montreal on Thursday for next week's Masters facing the likelihood of an early exit after missing more than two months of play to rest his tendinitis-plagued knees.
"I'm aware that I am going to Montreal and Cincinnati (the week following) and to lose is logical," he said prior leaving for Canada. He last competed on May 31 when he lost to Robin Soderling in the French Open fourth round.
"I'm not sure about my level on first tournament; I am not sure even if I will have pain again."
Nadal's first task will be getting some portable knee rehabilitation machines over the border into North America.
"When I was active, I had to spend hours on different machines for rehab - and that is not pleasant.
"I now need to take the machines to the US and it may be tough getting them past customs until I explain what they are for," he said.
The Spaniard, who also passed time at the beach with his girlfriend, on the golf course and his local tennis club at Manacor on the island of Majorca, said he is unused to inactivity.
"I've spent more time on my sofa than ever. I'm an active person, I like to do different things all the time. But I was told to be still to spare my knees."
The world number two said that he's going into battle "just hoping to play without pain or at least, with manageable pain."
Nadal's next objective remains the US Open starting August 31. "I've trained very well over the last five days (in five-hour sessions)."
The four-time French Open winner said that he knows knee pain is now a permanent part of his game, adding that some of his goals may now be more limited. "I have to know where I am to see if my goals are realistic or not.
"I've always managed to overcome difficult situations and have learned to live with the pain."
He will also limit his schedule, a lesson learned during a furious clay court spring which left him and his knees in less than perfect shape for Paris.
