The current slump is inevitable: Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal confident about bringing his poor run of form to an end soon

Madrid, April 30 (IANS): Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal said his struggles at the start of the season, his worst string of results in a decade, are unavoidable moments in an athlete's career.

The fourth-ranked Nadal, who failed to reach the semifinals of any of the big, early-season hard-court events, including the Australian Open, and also has been way off form thus far on his beloved red clay, said he is in "a little worse situation than other years", reports Efe.

"I know that moments like what I'm experiencing now have to come, have come before and also won't be the last. But I'm also convinced that they can be overcome by working hard every day," the 28-year-old said here on Wednesday.

Speaking ahead of his participation in next week's Madrid Masters, Nadal said that the major French Open tune-up event "has been a tournament that always has been very special, where my victories have been more emotional".

Nadal, who lost to Serbian World No.1 Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo and was upset by Italy's Fabio Fognini in Barcelona, two tournaments he dominated between 2005 and 2013, will be looking to get his clay-court season on track here.

Djokovic, winner of the Australian Open and the season's first three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, has pulled out of the Madrid Masters, citing fatigue.

Regarding the possibility of lifting his 10th championship trophy at Roland Garros, Nadal said he has the peace of mind and experience of having done it in the past and stressed that "it's the most important tournament of the year" for him.

Nadal, who already holds the record for French Open singles titles (9) and is the five-time defending champion, said Djokovic, who has lost to Nadal three years in a row in Paris, "at the moment is the big favourite (to win) everything" and "deserves to win Roland Garros".

Nevertheless, "there will be 127 other players who will want to play well and win".

Asked about his greatest moments, Nadal said the Wimbledon final in 2008, when he edged Swiss great Roger Federer in what many consider the greatest match of all time, was his most emotional victory.