I'm coming to U.S. Open to win, declares Nadal

Rafael Nadal of Spain answers questions at a news conference ahead at the U.S. Open tennis championship in New York, August 30, 2009.

MADRID (Reuters) - Two months on the sidelines nursing tendinitis in both knees will not derail Rafa Nadal's bid for the only grand slam to elude him, the Spanish world number three said as the U.S. Open kicks off in New York.

"I am not scared," the 23-year-old Mallorcan told Spain's El Pais daily. "I was out for two months and then (this month) I got to the quarter-finals at the Montreal Masters and the semis at the Cincinnati Masters.

"I know that here (at the U.S. Open) a quarter-final or a semi would be a very good result but I am coming to win," added the six-times grand slam winner.

"When I retire nobody will remember if I get to quarters or semis."

Australian Open champion Nadal said his first-round match against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who is making his return after a ban for inadvertently taking cocaine, could be very difficult.

"He has the potential of one of the very best and if he has a good day it will be a very tough match," he said.

"Although I know that if I play well I have a chance to beat Gasquet and a great deal more."

(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by N.Ananthanarayanan)