Shanghai Masters Tennis 2014: Rafael Nadal to Play Despite Appendicitis

Despite suffering from the early stages of appendicitis, Rafael Nadal is still confident that he will survive the Shanghai Masters week, relying only on antibiotics.

The tennis champ recently complained of stomach pain but he chose to delay surgery since he feels he is still in a good form to continue playing, AP Sports on Yahoo reported.

''I am not going to go for surgery. That's great news for me today. That's why I'm here practicing for 45 minutes, and trying to play tomorrow. But obviously I am not in my best condition,'' he told AP.

He added that he will have to consult with his doctors first when he goes home to Spain at the end of the tournament and check whether there is an immediate need to have his appendix removed.

''My idea is take it out, but you can imagine that I didn't (think) much about that yet. I am here in Shanghai. I just want to try. Then when I go back home, I will talk about the situation with my doctor,'' Nadal added.

The Shanghai Masters is Nadal's second tournament since he returned, following his recovery from a wrist injury. Asked if he is aiming to win the championship title, Nadal said he is not expecting anything.

"I expect just to come here and play again and practice and feel a little bit again the competition, try to get in rhythm as soon as possible,'' he said.

USA Today expressed concern that Nadal's condition may become worse since he will be playing in the tournament while using high doses of antibiotics. The report added that even if doctors allow him to play, he should still be cautious about his health.

Nadal is expected to face Feliciano Lopez in an opening match on Wednesday. He is still expected to bring his best play and rise to the occasion despite his condition. USA Today expects the same, noting that Nadal already has sports embedded in his DNA.

"He always wants to play, even if playing might be detrimental to his tennis down the road," USA Today explained.

Nadal's supporters would want the player to take things easy for just a bit so that he can return stronger in upcoming tournaments like the Swiss Indoors in Basel on Oct. 20, the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris on Oct. 27, and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London set to start on Nov. 9.