Former world No.1 Rafael Nadal has admitted that playing in the ATP World Tour Finals in London isn’t one of his end of year goals after a roller coaster season.
The nine-time French Open champion made the comments during an interview with the ATP. This season the 30-year-old missed two months on the tour after damaging a tendon in his wrist. Nadal returned to action at the Rio Olympic Games where he lost to Kei Nishikori in the bronze medal playoff. Since then the Spaniard has produced encouraging results by reaching the fourth round at the US Open and the quarter-finals at the China Open.
After enduring injury woes, Nadal is hoping to end the year injury free. One tournament he is on course to play at is the ATP Tour finals in London, where the eight best players in the world will battle it out in the end of year championship. The Spaniard currently lies seventh in the race, but has admitted that he isn’t too concerned about playing in the event, which has a prize pool of $6 million.
“I really don’t care much.” Said Nadal about playing in the finals. “For sure, I would like to be in London, but I have been in a lot of (ATP) finals. My real goal is to be healthy and recover the level I had before the injury happened. That’s my real goal and my motivation.”
Throughout his career, Nadal is yet to win the end of year extravaganza, despite playing in the event seven times since 2006. His best result was runner-up in 2010 and 2013.
This week, Nadal plays in the Shanghai Masters, a tournament where he hasn’t reached the final since 2009. Seeded fourth, he will start his campaign against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki in the second round on Wednesday. During his pre-tournament press conference in China, the Spaniard admitted that he is already looking ahead to next year after a troublesome 2016.
“When you break the rhythm with an injury, it’s a little bit unlucky, and you need to accept and give more. And that’s what I’m doing. I am trying to finish well and try to be ready again for the next season. That’s my real goal.” He said.
Heading into Shanghai, Nadal has won 39 out of 52 matches on the tour this season. Out of those 39 wins, 29 of them occurred before he was struck by wrist problems over the summer.
Rafael Nadal’s full interview with the ATP
