Rafael Nadal is taking a long-term approach to his comeback, saying he is "motivated" for his return to the courts.
The Spaniard won last week's exhibition in Abu Dhabi, defeating David Goffin and Milos Raonic, and is playing the ATP event in Brisbane this week as he rebounds from an injury-interrupted season that saw him drop to No. 9 in the rankings. But he cautioned his fans that it could take time before he returns to top form.
"The only thing I can tell them is I worked a lot to try to put myself in a position to be competitive again, to enjoy my tennis," he told reporters in Abu Dhabi. "I believe that if I am able to be healthy, normally history says I have good chances to compete."