Rafael Nadal says he is playing well in practice and is working hard to bring that higher level to match play, particularly for next year's clay-court season.
The Spaniard is playing in Beijing this week, and is in seventh position to reach the eight-player ATP World Tour Finals in London.
"I am practicing better than what I am competing," he said following his first-round win. "But is something that is like this today. With the confidence of the practice, then probably going to arrive one day that I going to make a change. Practicing well, the level of tennis going to be there sooner or later. I am working a lot to make that happen."
Nadal was won two titles this year, but not gone beyond the quarterfinals a Grand Slam, though he emphasized that he has improved during the second half of the season.
"I know is obvious that I need results to confirm that," the 14-time Grand Slam champion said. "But we are almost at the end of this season and have time to keep playing the last tournaments of the year with the chance to practice the things that I need to do for next year. My goal is recover the level especially for play my best on clay next year."