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 Spaniard Nadal had one of the best season's of his career in 2013
following his return in February after seven months out with a knee
injury, winning 10 tournaments including a record eighth French Open
crown and a second U.S. Open title.
As he gears up for the start of the 2014 tour, the 27-year-old
Mallorcan told Spain's As newspaper remaining healthy and being able
to challenge at the top level were his priorities.
"What I want is to be able to start the year well and in shape to
compete in the big tournaments," Nadal said.
"In that sense, and thinking about 2014, I am not going to talk at
the moment about winning the ninth Roland Garros or winning
Wimbledon again, which would be the third time.
"No, look: what is important to me is to maintain my fitness in a
way that will allow me to play the whole year, and competing at a
good level.
"You see it's not easy: I couldn't do that, for the whole season, in
2012, 2013."
Nadal's 10 titles last season came close to matching the best year
of his career, when he won 11 in 2005, including his first Roland
Garros crown.
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He said his enforced rest in the second half of 2012 had
meant he was fresh and hungry on his return and that was
possibly why he had been so successful.
"In terms of results, I don't know if 2013 was the best year of
my career," Nadal told As.
"What made it special was the feeling of being able to compete
again at the level I managed.
"But certainly 2013 was the most emotional of my career. If you
ask me about the key elements of what happened I think I started
playing when I was fresher than ever after a seven-month rest.
That may have been the key to the successes."
Nadal will get his next crack at a grand slam when the
Australian Open starts in Melbourne in mid January.
He is playing compatriot and world number three David Ferrer at
an invitational event in Abu Dhabi later on Friday.
(Reporting by Iain Rogers; editing by Justin Palmer)
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