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ROME (AP) -Rafael Nadal's preparations for a run at a fourth straight French Open title were thrown into disarray Wednesday.
The second-ranked Spaniard lost on clay for only the second time in 105 matches, falling to countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of the Rome Masters.
Nadal's last loss on clay came against Roger Federer in May 2007. Before that, he had won a record 81 consecutive matches on clay, a streak that began in 2005.
He also has a large blister on the bottom of his right foot and only four days to recover for next week's Hamburg Masters.
"Two Masters Series without playing best conditions on clay is going to kill me," Nadal said. "The calendar is impossible."
Nadal had never lost at the Foro Italico, winning the Rome tournament each of the previous three years. The 23rd-ranked Ferrero took the Rome title 2001, two years before he was the French Open champion.
The Rome Masters is an important clay-court warmup for Roland Garros, which begins May 25 with Nadal the three-time defending champion.
"It's one week that he lost, and he will try again to play his level in Hamburg," Ferrero said. "He has a lot of time to prepare for Roland Garros."
Nadal has spoken to ATP president Etienne de Villiers about the crowded schedule, to no avail.
"I'm just going home to rest and prepare for Hamburg," he said.
Nadal called for a trainer late in the second set to treat the blister, which began bothering him Sunday when he won the Barcelona Open. The week before, Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters.
"Today when I woke up, I said it was impossible to play," Nadal said. "I spoke to the doctor today and yesterday, and they put special protection on it and cream, but it was still tough."
Ferrero, too, was not fully fit. He pulled out of Barcelona last week with a groin problem.
