LONDON: Rafael Nadal returns to the ATP Tour Finals in London Sunday determined to make amends for one of the lowest points of his career. Nadal cut a forlorn figure last November as he crashed out of the prestigious end-of-season event in the group stage after losing all three of his matches. The Spaniard had been badly affected by a knee injury and the seperation of his parents and was mentally and physically drained by the time he arrived in the English capital. Fast forward 12 months and the contrast in Nadal's demeanour couldn't be any greater. He will stride onto court at the O2 Arena bursting with confidence ahead of his opening Finals match against Andy Roddick after a remarkable year. The 24-year-old has regained the world No. 1 spot from Roger Federer after winning three successive Grand Slam titles. That sensational run saw him win a fifth French Open crown on his favorite clay courts, then regain the Wimbledon title he was unable to defend in 2009 due to injury. Nadal followed that memorable double by blasting through the field at Flushing Meadows to claim his first US Open. It is a transformation Nadal admits would have been impossible to predict a year ago. “This time last year it would have been difficult to imagine something like this but sometimes sport can change like this,” he said. “I wasn't playing well for sure but I practised a lot with the idea of improving situation every day. That is what happened. “Everything was really emotional for me, but the two key points were winning in Monte Carlo and Roland Garros. After that everything was a little bit less difficult. I was able to play with more calm and confidence.” Firmly re-established as the sport's preeminent force, Nadal is now keen to resolve some unfinished business in London before focusing on winning next year's Australian Open, which would enable him to hold all four Grand Slams as once. “When you are not playing well and you feel not competitive for sure it is not a nice feeling but it is part of the sport,” Nadal said. “I was playing against the best players in the world in the most difficult conditions for me. “Last year I played people like (Robin) Soderling, (Novak) Djokovic and (Nikolay) Davydenko, who are very difficult to stop on this kind of surface. It is almost impossible for me to win matches on this surface if I am not playing my best. “If you arrive here not playing your best tennis it can happen. I will try my best to change the situation this year.” A shoulder injury forced Nadal to miss the recent Paris Masters but he is adamant he is in peak condition as he tries to win an indoor tournament for only the second time in his career. Standing in the Spaniard's way in the week-long round-robin event, which has five million dollars of total prize money, will be Federer, Djokovic, Soderling, Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer and Andy Roddick. Federer should represent the biggest threat to Nadal but he is increasingly difficult to predict after an erratic year by his own high standards. – Agence France
