Rafael Nadal retires at boiling Miami

A health scare that forced Rafael Nadal to retire from his second-round match Saturday at the ATP and WTA Miami Open raised concerns about the 14-time Grand Slam champion’s claycourt campaign.

World number five Nadal, a nine-time French Open champion whose mastery on clay helped make him a legend, feared for his safety as he felt dizzy and struggled to cope with heat and humidity.

“Very bad feelings but even with very bad feelings I finish a lot of matches,” Nadal said.

“Today I was suffering for my health. I didn’t know what was going on. I was not sure I can finish the match that way so I had to stop,” he added.

Nadal handed 94th-ranked Bosnian Damir Dzumhur a 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 triumph when he stopped during a match for the first time in six years.

And the 29-year-old Spanish left-hander, who for years has battled knee injuries, raised the spectre of uncertainty around the upcoming two-month run to Roland Garros even as he hoped medical exams showed no further troubles.

“If the health is fine in a couple of days and nothing is there, I will be ready in a couple of days and I hope to be ready for the clay,” Nadal said.

Asked if he was well after a post-match rest, Nadal replied, “So so,” and noted that he felt nothing wrong before the match.