Rafael Nadal hopes he will be fit enough to lead the Spanish team at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games as he continues his recovery from a knee complaint.
The 11-time Grand Slam winner was surprisingly knocked out by Lukas Rosol in the second round at Wimbledon two weeks ago and has since been battling to ensure he will be ready to return to the All England Club to defend his Olympic title.
The 26-year-old is also due to carry the Spanish flag at the opening ceremony and he is looking forward to an experience he has described as "unforgettable."
Speaking as he received the flag from the Spanish Olympic Committee, he said, "I am doing everything possible to recover. After Roland Garros I had a difficult time, but the excitement is at its maximum, I am working as hard as I can and hopefully I will be at 100 per cent.
"I am the one who is most worried. I hope that things improve and my intention is to arrive in London well prepared and recuperated. It is for this that I work every day.
"Carrying the flag will the something unforgettable and I hope that Spain continue on the path of success it has been on for the past few years."
Nadal also believes that the Olympics are even more special than some of the bigger annual tournaments on the tennis tour because they only come around every four years.
"This is the hardest title to win because in the career of a tennis player you only get two or three opportunities. I feel very fortunate to have been as I was that week in Beijing. I had the luck to arrive at almost an impeccable moment."
The 2008 and 2010 Wimbledon champion insisted that his confidence on grass had not been shaken by the Rosol defeat.
"Opponents intimidate everyone, you can't hide when you are competing against the best.
"You go onto court knowing that you can win or lose. You have to accept both things. I have already had years of competing and I know that there are bad moments and defeats."
