Rafael Nadal: Djoko is top favourite

Defending champion Rafael Nadal admitted Saturday he felt vulnerable heading into the Australian Open after two straight defeats in the buildup and said that Novak Djokovic was clear favouriteThe 22time Grand Slam winner crashed in his seasonopening match at the mixed teams United Cup in Sydney to 12thranked Cameron Norrie and then again to Australiarsquos Alex de Minaur Against the Australian the Spaniard dropped six consecutive games after leading by a set and 10 The 36yearold top seed faces a testing firstround clash at Melbourne Park on Monday against emerging 21yearold Briton Jack Draper who reached the Adelaide semifinals this weekTough first roundldquoProbably one of the toughest first rounds possible young powerful growing very very fast in the rankings playing wellrdquo he said ldquoA big challenge for me at the beginning to start the tournament Letrsquos see Irsquom here to just give myself a chance I know hersquos playing wellrdquoAlso ReadNo respite for Rafael NadalRafael NadalNadal told Spanish reporters ldquoDjokovic seems to be very well prepared He got great results at the end of the year he has also started the year winning It is a tournament that has always been good to him If we talk about favourites on Saturday before the start of the tournament there is no doubt that he is the top favourite to win the title But tournaments are not won on the Saturday before you have to work for two weeks although he has shown that he knows how to do it very well If he wins we will congratulate him he will have done something historic and thatrsquos it My life is not going to changerdquoDespite losing his only two matches this year Nadal insisted he was improving by the day and had practised more in the last few weeks than ever beforelsquoFeel faster in the legsrsquoldquoMy personal momentum is not bad I tell you I am good and happy Irsquom practising wellrdquo he said ldquoI feel faster in the legs I feel Irsquom playing better with more confidencerdquo he added ldquoThe last three weeks of preparation here have been very positive from my point of viewrdquo Nadal has lost six of his last seven matches stretching back to defeat to Frances Tiafoe in the last 16 at the US Open Asked if he felt vulnerable the defending champion admitted ldquoOf course without a doubt I have been losing more than usual thatrsquos part of the business Just accept the situation I think I am humble enough to accept that situation and just work with what I have today I need to build again all this momentum I need to build again this confidence with myself with victories But itrsquos true that I have been losing more than usualrdquoNadal who recently became a father swept past Russian Daniil Medvedev to win the Australian Open and a 21st Grand Slam title last year in an epic fivesetter That victory came after archrival and ninetime Australian Open winner Djokovic was detained and deported ahead of the tournament after refusing to get vaccinated for Covid19 The Serbian star looking to equal Nadalrsquos recordbreaking 22 Slam titles is back this year and in top form after winning the Adelaide International I event last week That followed another ATP Finals crown in late 2022Serb lsquolikesrsquo his chances of 10th crown in AustraliaNovak Djokovic declared on Saturday that he ldquolikes his chancesrdquo of winning a recordextending 10th Australian Open crown despite lingering injury worries He tweaked a hamstring in Adelaide and is still getting treatment but insisted he was ready for another twoweek campaign to potentially win a recordequalling 22nd Grand Slam ldquoIrsquove been struggling with that injury a bit to be honest the last seven days But itrsquos hopefully not a major concern I always like my chancesrdquo said Djokovic who faces Spainrsquos Roberto Carballes Baena in Rd 1This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever