World number one Rafael Nadal began his 2014 season on a high note after winning his first Qatar Open title. The victory further increased his lead against number two Novak Djokovic in the ATP rankings. Nadal missed the first month of 2012 (including the Australian Open) due to injury.
“If I am playing the way that I played in the first set, I think I will be very competitive [in Australia],” Nadal said after a 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-2 win over Gael Monfils of France. “Between here and Australia the good thing is I am going to have one week, and I don’t go there thinking about the adaptation of my game. I go in there thinking about the things that I want to keep practising to be very competitive. I want to keep practising in the same way that I played today. I think that’s the right way.”
Three of Nadal’s matches in Doha have gone to three sets but the Spaniard said what mattered the most is that he won all five matches on the way to a title win.
“In the end, the important thing is I was able to play five matches and win all five. That’s positive [for my] confidence. That doesn’t mean I’m going to play well in Australia, but it’s true that I prefer to arrive to Australia without feeling a loss.
“I hope to have a good week of preparation there in Melbourne and try to adapt my game to that quick surface and hope to be ready for next Monday,” the 2009 Australian Open said.
Nadal, the 2009 Australian Open champion, missed last year’s tournament with a knee injury. He returns to Melbourne as the top seed.
