Nadal in 'a little bit' worse shape for 2010 seasonMADRID (AFP) – Spain's world number two Rafael Nadal, whose injuries have raised fears over his long-term future, says he will start the 2010 tennis season in "a little bit" worse shape than he did last season.
"I believe that this year I'll arrive a little bit more on the short side than at the start of last season," he said in a interview published Wednesday in Spanish sports daily AS, adding his preparation "has been short but good".
"The results will be what they are but right now my hope is to win everything. Because that's impossible you have to try to do what is possible in each tournament," he added.
Nadal, whose Australian Open title gave him a sixth Grand Slam trophy, was the spearhead of Spain's triumphant Davis Cup side which crushed a poor Czech Republic 5-0 in the final.
But the 23-year-old was plagued by knee and stomach injuries during 2009. He needed a three-month break in mid-season to recover from the tendinitis which wrecked his French Open and Wimbledon hopes and, tellingly, the last of his five titles in 2009 came on the Barcelona clay in April.
Three successive defeats at the World Tour finals in London did nothing to dampen fears over his prospects for 2010.
Nadal will take part in an exhibition event later this week in Abu Dhabi.
After competing in the Qatar Open at the beginning of next month, he will seek to defend his Australian Open title in Melbourne.