Nadal parties before targeting US Open title

Rafael Nadal said he was going to spend time fishing and partying before setting his sights on the one Grand Slam title he has never won - the US Open.

The Spanish world number one said he was heading home to his Mediterranean island of Mallorca to have fun with his friends on the beach after winning his second Wimbledon title.

The 24-year-old claimed his eighth Grand Slam crown when he beat Tomas Berdych 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 on Sunday.

The French Open champion is also due to have treatment on his troublesome knees to get him in shape to fight the US hard court season.

But for now, it's party time for Nadal.

"We're going to think about the US Open in one month. Right now we just relax and enjoy for me this amazing season," the left-hander said.

"It was very difficult for me to be back at my best. I did, so it is a very important and emotional moment for me. I want to enjoy that.

"I keep working to try to be in the US Open, finally ready to try to win. But for sure the US Open is going to be one of my goals for the rest of my career.

"But right now it's enjoy the beach, fishing, golf, friends, party, and Mallorca."

Nadal is dubbed the "King of Clay" thanks to his five French Open titles and near-invincibility on the slow surface. But having suffered only two defeats at Wimbledon since 2005 - and both of those in finals - it may not be long before he is considered tennis royalty on grass too.

"If you really want to play well on one surface and you are a good player, I think in the end you are going to find a way," Nadal said.

"And for me, to play on grass always was my dream. Sure, later my serve always was improving a little bit. It is important to play more aggressive than on the rest of the surfaces.

"The main thing is to really want to improve on every surface. On grass it is the main thing."

Federer no. 3

Nadal soared 3,840 points ahead of his rivals in the latest ATP men's tennis rankings released yesterday.

Nadal, who regained the no.1 spot after claiming the French Open title, now stands on 10,745 points, with Serbian Novak Djokovic leapfrogging Roger Federer into second thanks to his losing semi-final appearance in Wimbledon.

Federer's fall to third place was the first time the Swiss player, who crashed out at the quarter-final stage in Wimbledon, has been out of the top two since November 2003.

Top ten: 1. Nadal 10,745; 2. Djokovic 6,905; 3. Federer 6,885; 4. Murray 5,155; 5. Soderling 4,935; 6. Davydenko 4,740; 7. Del Potro 4,395; 8. Berdych 3,845; 9. Roddick 3,490; 10. Verdasco 3,475.