Rafael Nadal: I’m feeling better, but not 100%

Rafael Nadal said in a recent interview that he is still working on regaining his top level performance. Nadal is optimistic that he will be able to turn his career around just like he had done so in the past.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Nadal admitted that his struggle on the tennis court this season was because of his anxiety. Still, he is reportedly undeterred to put a “tough year” behind him as he continues his quest to add a 15th grand slam title in his career.

“It was a tough year because I was playing with too much anxiety for a lot of months, especially at the beginning of the season,” Nadal said. “Now I feel much better about that, not 100 percent fixed but much better.”

As far as getting back to his old winning form, Nadal further declared that he will soon be 100 percent healed from his anxiety-riddled season. Instead of worrying about the outcome of the tournaments that he plays, Nadal said that he is relishing every moment that he is on the tennis court, whether during his practice sessions or competitions.

The 14-time grand slam champion revealed in the interview that the string of injuries he suffered in 2014 knocked off his confidence. He said that he felt “tired and anxious” during the first half of the season.

Last season, Nadal suffered a wrist injury during the Wimbledon. He had appendicitis, which made him go through a laparoscopic appendectomy, making him miss the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. Nadal also had stem-cell treatment for his shoulder and back. The Mallorca native also had treatment for his knee in 2014.

Nadal hopes that he can win another grand slam title to add to his tennis accolades. In the four grand slam tournaments, Nadal only reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and French Open. He had a disappointing campaign at the All England Club and Flushing Meadows for this year’s U.S. Open, where he was upset by Italian Fabio Fognini in the third round 3-6 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4. For the next season, Nadal vows to be ready as he continues his quest to find his game.

Nadal last won a grand slam title in 2014 when he clinched his ninth title at the Roland Garros tournament. He recently dropped to seventh in the world rankings.

In other news, Nadal headlines an exhibition match in Thailand, where he will play rival and current World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. The exhibition match will take place at Bangkok’s Hua Mark Indoor Stadium on Oct. 2.

Bangkok Post reports that both players will arrive in the capital on separate flights tomorrow. Nadal and Djokovic have several activities lined up for the event, including Thursday’s press conference and Friday’s visit to Siriraj Hospital, which is the oldest and biggest hospital in the Asian country.

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