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Nadal battles wardrobe malfunction in Monte Carlo

Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia during the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco April 16, 2014. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

(Reuters) - Rafa Nadal is battling a wardrobe malfunction that has forced him to alter his serving routine at this week's Monte Carlo Masters.

When he has failed with his first serve, Nadal has had to ask for another ball rather than plucking one from his shorts, because he has been experiencing problems with his pockets.

"The ball comes out of the bottom of them and gets in the way," the Spaniard told Teledeporte on Thursday after dispatching Italy's Andreas Seppi to reach the quarter-finals.

"We'll try to sort it out for the next tournaments but here it won't be possible.

"When you have been doing something the same way for so many years, when there is a change you have to think about it and it makes things a bit more difficult.

"But it's better to do it that way than have the ball popping out of the bottom of your shorts which is quite uncomfortable."

Nadal won in Monte Carlo eight times in a row between 2005 and 2012 before losing to Novak Djokovic in last year's final. The Spaniard is sponsored by U.S. apparel maker Nike.

(Writing by Iain Rogers in Madrid, editing by Robert Woodward)