London: French Open champion Rafael Nadal said on Saturday he was ready to play at Wimbledon despite not having fully recovered from a shoulder injury.
The 20-year-old has been unable to practise at full strength for the grasscourt grand slam after he retired from his Queen's Club quarter-final eight days ago because of pain in his left shoulder.
"It's okay, I can practise, I can play," the claycourt specialist told a news conference on Saturday at the All England Club."
"I will see but for now I am playing without pain."
Second seed Nadal faces British wild card Alex Bogdanovic in the first round at Wimbledon, where his best previous showing was reaching the third round in 2003.
However, the Mallorcan took great encouragement from his run to the Queen's Club quarter-finals, where he took a set of eventual champion Lleyton Hewitt before retiring.
"I played a very good tournament at Queen's," he said.
"I'm improving with each day and I feel good. I'm happy with my level."
Nadal beat world No 1 Roger Federer to retain his French Open crown earlier this month and said that victory meant he could approach Wimbledon in a positive frame of mind.
"I'm really motivated in practice," he said.
"Winning the French Open was good for my confidence here because I can play a little bit more calmly without a lot of pressure. This is a different tournament and it's very important too. Paris is forgotten now."
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