Rafael Nadal isn’t confident about World Tour Finals after suffering Paris Masters defeat
World number one Rafael Nadal has played just four matches this season compared to seven in 2014.
The former champion is also facing a long winter holiday during which he will not be able to play any competitive tennis after receiving a two-year doping ban.
The 37-year-old has only played four matches since the start of the 2017 season in February.
“I need to play more matches and win more matches,” Nadal said.
He won’t return until August at the earliest.
“I want to enjoy myself and spend the season with my family,” said the two-time Wimbledon champion.
“I’ll play tennis four times in the year, one tournament – when I feel I’m 100 percent – and then three (before the tournament starts) and one when I feel I’m 70 percent.
“I need to be ready to play more.”
The 2016 French Open champion believes he has the firepower to beat Nadal at the upcoming championships in London.
“I have a great opportunity right now,” he said. “I have the experience, the strength and the power to beat anyone.”
Nadal is targeting his first ever major title at the Olympics.
“My goal is to finish as the number one seed,” he said.
In his final season at Roland Garros, where he’s the oldest man in the draw, he last defeated his 27-year-old nemesis in the quarter-finals. His last title was in 2009 and it was a straight sets victory over Roger Federer.
He won his first title as a professional in the 2012 US Open, the last time he was in the top-tier level and is aiming to regain his spot at the top.
Nadal has played eight ATP World Tour Finals matches in 2017 and five matches as the world number one.
“I’ve won matches in my career, but this is the first time where I have been number one at the week-end, week-in and this is difficult to live in my mind – at this stage in my career,” he said.
Nadal has not played any match in four days after being sidelined due to a wrist injury by Dr.