Top seed Rafael Nadal [Images] was ready to hang up his racket for a few days after his run at Queen's Club ended in the quarter-finals on Friday.

The world number two has had a hectic couple of months and having arrived in London [Images] straight after his victory at the French Open on Sunday, he wanted to make the most of his early exit from the Wimbledon warm-up tournament.

"I need to go back to home," Nadal said following his 7-5, 7-6 defeat by little-known Frenchman Nicolas Mahut.

"In the last two months, I've been home for maybe two days.

"I need (to get away from tennis), play some golf, watch the end of the (Spanish) football league, have some fun with friends.

"I need put the racket far away from me for two days.

"I would have loved to have won today and play the semi-finals or final here... but it was not possible. So the positive thing is I'm going to have a little bit of time at home."

Nadal, who became the first man since 1980 to capture a hat-trick of Roland Garros titles, was undone by the superior court coverage of an inspired opponent ranked 106th in the world.

Mahut had earlier accounted for fifth seed Ivan Ljubicic in a rain-delayed third-round match and then handed out similar treatment to the world number two.

Nadal squandered numerous chances to break at 5-5 in the second set and once he was taken into the tiebreak, Mahut steamed ahead 7-0 to claim a famous win.

Despite his premature exit from the tournament, Nadal was hopeful it would not hinder his chances at Wimbledon.

Last year he went on to reach the final at the grasscourt Grand Slam after succumbing in the quarter-finals at Queen's.

"Adapting to grass in one week is always difficult," said the 21-year-old.

"If you play good at Roland Garros, it is especially very difficult to prepare well for Wimbledon.

"I've had three matches. I'll go to Wimbledon on Tuesday and I will have one week preparation there. I'll just try my best. "

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