While many consider 2015 as the worst season in Rafael Nadal's professional career, the Spaniard calls it a bless disguise, stressing the struggle he went through last year has improved him a lot as a person.
"I pledge daily to overcome anxiety due to the results of 2015, a year that has improved me as a person. I was fighting against myself and now against opponents, now I feel great to deal with the part of the season that I like more. I trained well. I'm happy with what I do." [via Tennis World Italia]
Nadal, who is coming off mixed results at Indian Wells (semi-final) and Miami (second round), believes he's in much better condition mentally than he was a year ago.
The 29-year old Nadal surprisingly won just one title last year and failed to defend his French Open crown. This year, the former world's no.1 has yet to capture a single title, absorbing a first-round exit at the hands of Fernando Verdasco at the Australian Open and loses to unheralded opponents at Argentina, Brazil and Miami.
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Nevertheless, there's no doubt Nadal will remain a contender in the clay-court season, which the Spaniard considers his favorite part of the season. He's scheduled to play in next week's Monte Carlo Masters, Barcelona Open and Rome Masters before kicking off his campaign at Roland Garros.
As for Novak Djokovic's dominance, Nadal thinks his Serbian is virtually unstoppable with the kind of tennis he's playing right now. Still, he sees Nole's hot run to eventually end at some point and someone has to be ready to take opportunity by the horn.
"He will not win for eternity. Djokovic will not win every tournament you play until the end of his career and will not play for another 20 years. Someone will step up his game and hope to be ready when the opportunity arises."