Nadal targets improvement in Barcelona

MADRID: Rafael Nadal has a return to winning ways on clay in his sights as he targets a ninth title at the Barcelona Open this week.
The Spaniard was beaten in straight sets by world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Saturday, but insisted he was pleased by his progress after a poor start to the year after a long injury layoff in the second half of last season.
“For me, it’s a very positive week. The most positive week of the season, without any doubt,” said Nadal.
“If I am able to keep doing that in the next tournament in Barcelona, and I have a tough draw, I will say that I am very well again.”
Nadal is only seeded second despite leapfrogging top seed and defending champion Kei Nishikori to move back to fourth in the world with his run in Monte Carlo.
The 28-year-old was beaten for just the second time in his career in Barcelona last season as a shock defeat to compatriot Nicolas Almagro ended a 41-match winning streak stretching back to 2003.
However, despite an unusually unsteady start to his clay campaign, Nadal still went on to reign once more in Paris by winning a ninth French Open last May.
And the king of clay acknowledged that he is approaching the most crucial stretch of his season.
“The most important thing, what’s helping me really, is that I have the right motivation to play tennis, the right motivation to work hard every day, and with the right attitude. That’s why I was able to play better this week than the previous weeks,” added Nadal.
“I have been working hard since I came back, but everything is a process. I arrive in a very important moment in my season.”