ABU DHABI—Rafael Nadal is confident he will be “very competitive” in 2016 after a difficult 2015 during which the world number five struggled with his early form.
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.
But the 29-year-old revealed he had a strong off season where he practised 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 practise as much as we wanted,” he told reporters in the UAE capital on Thursday.
“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 practising 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.”