Nadal confirms Wimbledon fitness

Venue: All England Club, LondonDate: 20 June-3 JulyCoverage: Live on BBC One, Two, 3D, HD, Red Button, online (UK only), Radio 5 live, 5 live sports extra; live text commentary from 0900 BST on BBC Sport website (#bbctennis); watch again on iPlayer The moment Nadal goes down injured

Defending champion Rafael Nadal has said that he will be fit to take on Mardy Fish in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Nadal, 25, had a scan on Tuesday after suffering a foot injury in his fourth-round win over Juan Martin del Potro.

He wrote on Facebook: "I thought I had something serious but as the match went through the pain got better and the tests don't show an injury.

"Today I will practise and I'll play tomorrow. Thanks all for the support."

If the Spanish world number one gets past Fish and British number one Andy Murray beats Feliciano Lopez, the pair will meet in the semi-finals.

After completing an impressive four-set victory over Argentine Del Potro on Monday, Nadal said: "I don't know what the problem is, I will get it checked out. I'm worried for sure.

"At one moment at the end of the first set I thought I might have to retire.

"To hit my forehand was very tough. I felt something really strange when it was at 6-5 in the first set when I called to the trainer. I pushed hard with a forehand and I just felt something crush in the back of the foot. I didn't know what went on.

"I changed the position of the foot so I was able to continue, but with pain."

Nadal is unbeaten at Wimbledon since the 2007 final, but was unable to compete at the tournament in 2009 because of knee problems.

The Mallorcan had 10 minutes of treatment at the end of the first set of his win over former US Open champion Del Potro and had his foot strapped by the trainer.

"With the tape it changed the direction of the support and it didn't hurt me that much," he added.

Del Potro had his own injury scare during Monday's match, slipping and falling to the grass at 2-2 in the third set.

He remained on the ground, clutching his left hip and then left the court for treatment but returned within minutes to continue as Nadal won 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.

Del Potro applauds Nadal's brilliance

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Tepco confirms extra rod meltdown

24 May 2011 Last updated at 03:59 GMT The problems with the Fukushima nuclear plant have raised questions over Tepco's future Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) has confirmed the meltdown of extra fuel rods in reactors at its damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The company said that the rods were in its Number 2 and Number 3 reactors.

Tepco has been trying to contain radiation from the plant, crippled by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami.

The company said that it planned to stick to its timetable of getting the radiation under control by January.

Tepco's announcement came on the same day that a team from the United Nations' atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), kicked off a visit in Japan.

100 hours Continue reading the main story

Based on our analysis, we have reached the conclusion that a certain amount of nuclear fuel has melted down.”

End Quote Ken Matsuda Tepco Earlier this month, Tepco had revealed that rods at its Number 1 reactor melted down. It was thought that a similar problem had occurred in the other reactors but it was difficult to confirm.

"Based on our analysis, we have reached the conclusion that a certain amount of nuclear fuel has melted down," Ken Matsuda, a Tepco spokesman told the BBC.

He said the analysis came from a report that Tepco was required to submit to Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (Nisa).

The spokesman added that most of the fuel from the Number 2 reactor had melted approximately 100 hours after the earthquake, which measured 9 on the Richter scale, struck Japan.

The meltdown in the Number 3 reactor took place about 60 hours after the quake.

Mr Matsuda said the new discovery would not alter Tepco's plans.

The company has said that it wants to reach a "cold shutdown" of the power plant by January, and has been trying to cool the reactors and get the unstable fuel rods back under control.

"This result does not change our work," he said.

Continue reading the main story Roland Buerk BBC News, Tokyo

Japan's government has faced some criticism at home, and from its neighbours, over its handling of the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power station.

The Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano has said the team from the International Atomic Energy Agency is being welcomed into the country to demonstrate transparency.

Led by Mike Weightman, Britain's chief inspector of nuclear installations, the 20 experts from a dozen countries are expected to visit the crippled plant.

They'll also meet officials as they compile a report which will be presented to member states of the IAEA next month.

The aim is to learn lessons to improve nuclear safety worldwide, and to share expertise.

Radiation monitoring Earlier in May, Tepco revealed that the damage sustained by the Number 1 reactor immediately after the earthquake and tsunami was far more severe than initially thought.

Professor Nobumasa Akiyama of Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo said Tepco's new revelation reinforces that idea.

In an effort to better understand the current situation in Japan specialists from the IAEA are joining other international experts in Tokyo for a fact-finding mission.

They are expected to submit a report on Japan's handling of the nuclear crisis to present to the IAEA's member states.

The group is expected to visit the Fukushima nuclear plant, though details have not been finalised.

Professor Akiyama said that the IAEA had come under criticism for its reaction to the Fukushima crisis.

"First of all, it has not been able to provide the information on what's going on on the ground," he said. "Secondly, it hasn't been able to provide a prescription for the solution of the crisis."

Mr Akiyama said the nuclear agency would be expected to provide more guidelines for nuclear safety after the visit to Japan this week.

He added that it may need to be beef up its funding and staff if it was going to be able to fulfil its mandate.

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