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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Rafael Nadal is back -- and its all about his back. Top-ranked Nadal injured his back warming up for the final of the Australian Open almost three weeks ago, eventually losing against Stanislas Wawrinka -- a match he was an overwhelming favourite to win. Nadal has practiced little since then, getting treatment at home in Mallorca. His first test comes in next weeks Rio Open, a new stop on the ATP Tour. "Well have to see how it goes," he said Friday. "I hope I can tolerate it." Nadal knows the clock is ticking. He made a comeback last season from a left knee injury, which kept him out of the 2012 London Olympics. Hes won 13 Grand Slams. Hes one behind Pete Sampras, and hes closing in on Roger Federers record of 17. Hes sure one got away in Australia. "In Australia I lost a good opportunity to add another Grand Slam," Nadal said. "It didnt happen. The opportunities are not infinite. They have an expiration date." Nadal has played more than 11 years as a professional, perhaps sustaining some injuries because of his big swings and attacking temperament. "I heard a lot of times in my career that I will have a shorter career because of my style of game," he said. "I really think its something that will not happen. If I stopped today, I already will have more than 11 years on tour." The Spaniard said hes still motivated, positive about the 2014 season. "I cannot predict the future for how long I will be here competing well," he said. "I cant say when thats going to end. The only thing I can say is today I feel happy about what I am doing. I am feeling motivation mentally to keep playing, to keep competing well." Hell be 30 when the 2016 Rio Olympics begin. He called winning gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics "one of the best experiences" of his career. "It was a very hard moment for me when I made the decision not to play the Olympic Games in London," Nadal said. "After that, I always say my goal is to arrive to the 2016 Olympic Games here in Rio." Cheap Air Jordan 3 Nz . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. Air Jordan 3 Nz Cheap . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. http://www.cheapairjordan3nz.com/ . If there is one club built to handle an off-field controversy, its the Bill Belichick era Patriots. Even if New Englands offence stumbles a bit out of the gate, their defence can help them stay in games, especially in the AFC East with the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets in the first two weeks. Authentic Jordans Shoes Wholesale ., will experience this week. A year in which the Canadian curling championship has been pushed forward a week to accommodate the Winter Olympics was deemed the perfect chance to stage the event in Montreal for the first time since 1979. Cheap Authentic Jordan 3 Nz . Some teams got significantly better, some teams divested themselves of talent and some teams had quiet afternoons, keeping the status quo.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss the ongoing Redskins name debate, a truly dominant pitching performance, the bargain basement standards of the LPGA and MLBs latest fine import. Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star: My thumb is down to the Washington Redskins name debate, and not just because theres any debate at all over the most clearly racist name in sports. No, its because the debates getting dumber by the second, as it ratchets up. A sitting U.S. Congressman - low bar, I know - compared Barack Obama to Kim Jong-Il, or -Un, after a federal trademark case declared the name derogatory. A Fox News host - low bar, I know - compared the name to the New York Giants offending tall people. This happens often, and its always, always stupid, people. Its like the Yankees, or the Lakers, or the Dallas Cowboys of stupid. Calling Dallas the Cowboys, of course, should only be offensive to competent and/or humble cowboys, one and all. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up to Clayton Kershaw, superstar pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who brought the no-hitter back into vogue with a performance for the ages Wednesday night at Coors Field. And I know what youre thinking: another no-hitter, big deal. Theres been so many of them in recent seasons that weve all grown a little bored of pitchers we didnt know or care about throwing another no-no. But it was different against the Colorado Rockies. This is a big name - Kershaw - striking out 15 batters, walking no one, in total command, only reaching the count of three balls on one batter and had it not been for an error by Hanley Ramirez, were talking perfect game here. Add Vin Scully broadcasting to the ooccasion and baseball doesnt get any better than that.dddddddddddd Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is down not to 11-year-old Lucy Li, who qualified for the U.S. Open, but to womens professional golf, whose thimble-deep talent pool made it possible for an 11-year old to qualify. The sixth-grader, who looked like she should be entered in a hopscotch tournament and not slugging it out on Pinehurst no. 2, shot a pair of credible 78s, a score that matched marquee names Natalie Gulbis and Laura Davies but left her far off the cut. Nice two-day story. But rather than celebrate the presence of a sprite in the event, shouldnt the USGA, and by extension the LPGA, be mortified a novice qualified? The kid is precocious, but she isnt exactly Mozart. Dave Naylor, TSN: And my thumb is up to Masahiro Tanaka of the New York Yankees for proving that sometimes a player really is worth all the hype. You may remember how Tanakas transfer from Japan was the major story of the MLB off-season. You may also remember that when the first Major Leage hitter he faced in Melky Cabrera took him deep … some were wondering if the Yankees had just uncovered the next “Dice-K” Matsuzaka. Well right now Tanaka leads the American League in wins and ERA and is among the leaders in innings-pitched, as well as strikeouts and walks per nine innings. And hes looking like a good bet to win both the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year honours. Coming off a perfect 24-0 record in Japan last season, experts cautioned not to expect the same thing from Tanaka in the major leagues. And they were right. After all, on May 20th against the Cubs he did something he never did all of last season in japan. He took the loss. 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