By the most telling measure – ATP Rankings – Rafael Nadal had a season he'd take six out of seven days of the week. The 32-year-old Spaniard finished No. 2, behind Novak Djokovic.
But if Nadal were to judge his season by another marker – number of tournaments played – he'd want to put 2018 behind him and seek a big improvement during the 2019 season, which he'll kick off this week as the top seed at the Brisbane International.
The Spaniard played only nine tournaments in 2018, and had to withdraw from two of them – during the quarter-finals of the Australian Open (right hip) and the semi-finals of the US Open (right knee). But he still hoisted five titles, including three ATP Masters 1000s and his 17th Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros.
“It was a tough season in terms of injuries... I didn't have the chance to play as often as I would like,” said Nadal, who didn't play again after retiring against Del Potro on 7 September.
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“On the other hand, I won five events out of nine that I played. It was a great level of tennis every time that I was on court. So that's great news. I enjoyed it a lot. I achieved things that were amazing for me.
“I enjoy a lot of fantastic moments in my career. So it will be not fair if I only talk about the injuries because I had the chance to create a lot of opportunities to enjoy, a lot of opportunities to play in front of the best crowds of the world and to achieve much more than what I have dreamed. So my only goal is to keep doing the things that make me happy, and today playing tennis makes me happy, and I want to do it better and as long as possible.”
The Spaniard skipped the Asian swing following the US Open to recover from his knee injury. But at the Rolex Paris Masters, Nadal had to withdraw before his first match because of an abdominal injury. He shut down his season for good on 5 November following ankle surgery.
Read More: Moya: Rafa's Recovery Is Right On Track
The 80-time titlist, however, is ready to end his nearly four-month break in Australia, where he won the 2009 Australian Open, his only title on the continent. Nadal is playing in Brisbane for only the second time. He lost to Canadian Milos Raonic in the 2017 quarter-finals.
“I am here because I loved it in 2017. I had been here for the first time in 2017... I enjoyed a lot. Being honest, the tournament is great. It's a very familiar event, with a great atmosphere out there. The people here in Brisbane and Australia in general are very enthusiastic. I enjoy a lot playing in front of them. I always have a great connection with the crowd,” Nadal said.
“I missed it last year. It was a tough decision to not come here last year, and I am here to try my best again. And I hope to have the chance to play in front of this great crowd and to fight for important things.”
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2SwWoWu
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