Rafael Nadal admitted he feels vulnerable ahead of his first-round clash with Britain’s Jack Draper at the Australian Open.
The defending champion enters the tournament in the worst form of his career after losing six of his last seven matches dating back to the US Open.
“Without a doubt. I lost more than usual, so that’s part of the deal,” Nadal said when asked about his vulnerability.
“I think I’m humble enough to accept this situation and just work with what I have today. I need to build that whole momentum back up. I have to rebuild this self-confidence with victories.”
It’s a measure of the esteem the 21-year-old Draper now enjoys that it was seen as something of a nightmare loss for Nadal, who is seeded number one in the absence of his injured compatriot Carlos Alcaraz.
The young Londoner climbed more than 200 places in the rankings last year and arrived in Melbourne after a run into the semi-finals of the Adelaide International.
Nadal said of his fellow left-hander: “It’s probably one of the toughest first rounds possible to set. He’s young, strong, growing very, very fast in the rankings and playing well.
Jack Draper reached the semi-finals of the Adelaide International (Kelly Barnes/`)
“In the beginning it is a big challenge for me to start the tournament. I’m here to give myself a chance. I know he plays well. He has a lot of positive things and probably a great career ahead of him. I hope I’m ready to fight for that first round and see what can happen.”
Nadal only needs to look back 12 months to see how quickly things can change after wondering if a foot problem spelled the end of his career and winning the most remarkable of his 22 Grand Slam titles.
“The sport moves fast,” he said. “What happened last year is already over. But in sports, especially in a sport like tennis, people remember the victories. People will remember that I have 22 grand slams today, not that I lost another 50.
“What happened last year will live in my heart and memory forever. Without a doubt one of the most emotional victories of my tennis career.
The story goes on
“The love of the people, the atmosphere that we experienced here in the Rod Laver Arena in this final was unforgettable for me.”
Nadal started this year with two losses at the ATP Cup against Draper’s compatriot Cameron Norrie and Australia’s Alex De Minaur.
But he was encouraged by his performances in training, saying: “I think I’m in an improvement moment, that I’ve been getting better and better every week.
“I feel faster in my legs. I feel like I play better with more confidence. From my point of view, the last three weeks of preparation here have been very positive.
“I feel ready, honestly. The only thing that hasn’t happened on my side is wins.”
Comments are closed.