Rafael Nadal made a strong push at the end of last season to finish inside the top-five but his results in 2015 were the worst he has recorded in more than a decade as he admitted he was struggling with confidence
Abu Dhabi: Rafael Nadal is confident he will be “very competitive” in the new year after a difficult 2015 saw the world number five struggle with his early form. (Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer to Begin New Season in Abu Dhabi)
The Spaniard made a strong push at the end of last season to finish inside the top-five but his results in 2015 were the worst he has recorded in more than a decade as he admitted he was struggling with confidence. (Rafael Nadal Eyes Strong Comeback in 2016)
But the 29-year-old revealed he had a strong off season where he practiced hard in Mallorca and is ready to step on the court at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi on Friday before heading to Doha for his official season-opener.
“The off season has been great. In Mallorca we had unbelievable weather and we were able to practice as much as we wanted,” he told reporters in the UAE capital on Thursday. (Rafael Nadal Leaves Deepika Padukone Star-Struck)
“I had the chance to enjoy it. I’m happy for everything. I feel that I worked well enough, I finished the 2015 season with good feelings and I just keep practicing with these positive feelings. I’m excited to start another new season. I feel myself well and I hope to be ready for what’s coming.
“I don’t know if I’ll start well from the beginning but I feel ready. Then the results you never know what’s going on. But I feel that I’m doing the right things, I’m playing well and I hope to start with good feelings.
“I’m going to be passionate. I’m confident that I’m going to be very competitive.”
Having already successfully launched numerous comebacks throughout a career that has been marred with injury, Nadal is not viewing his current situation in similar light.
“Not a big comeback, I am number five in the world actually,” he said of what he expected of himself in 2016.
“It seems like I’m number 50 or something like this. I didn’t have the best season possible last year. But without having the best season possible, to be able to finish number five is actually not bad news.
“I’m happy the way I finished the season. I don’t expect an amazing comeback, I expect an improvement of my level of tennis and my level of competition and if I make that happen I hope to be competing for the good things.”
[Source:- NDTV NEWS]