Rafael Nadal says his back injury has improved and now bothers him only when serving. Nadal served eight double faults in his opening-round win against Radek Stepanek at Indian Wells, more than any match in his career.

"I am feeling better. I have better feeling than what I had in Rio, and that's the most important thing," Nadal said after the match. "I have day off tomorrow. I can practice a little bit the serve. I can try to serve again the normal way. I was serving very well before what happened in the back."

The world No. 1 insisted that the rest of his game was unaffected.

"Just try to find the game, the rhythm with my serve, because to play from the baseline is not bothering me nothing," he said. "I am not feeling the back bad now, and the only movement that I feel the back was on the serve.”