Rafael Nadal attends a training session at Real Club tennis center ahead of his participation at the Conde de Godo tournament, in Barcelona, yesterday.

AFP/Barcelona

Rafael Nadal vowed on Monday to bury his 2014 tennis setbacks, with the world number one ready to start afresh as he bids for a ninth career title at this week’s Barcelona Open.
The king of clay, who went out on Friday in the Monte Carlo quarter-finals to compatriot David Ferrer, will begin his campaign on Wednesday when he faces either Russian Nikolay Davydenko or Spain’s Albert Ramos.
Nadal said that despite his sadness at losing the January Australian Open final to Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka - also the Monte Carlo champion - he cannot keep that defeat in his mind.
“Australia belongs to the past and I cannot justify myself every day. I had setbacks in my career and that was another one,” said the top seed who has lifted the trophy at the Real Club de Tenis for eight of the last nine years.
Nadal had the rare chance to train in the Catalan capital at the weekend on the local clay due to his early exit in Monte Carlo.
He said that he remains positive about the season, especially going into the clay campaign: “My actual state is as it is, I have started the year quite good, more or less.
“The truth is that I had less self-confidence than I would have preferred. But you cannot complain about making it to the final of the Australian Open.
“Over the last eight years, with all that I have achieved, I am still the player that missed out on most opportunities due to injuries, starting in Australia in 2006.”
Nadal said that he deserved to lose to Ferrer, who has been beaten by the Mallorcan native in four Barcelona finals. “David is one of the best players in the world,” Nadal said of the number six. “I didn’t play a good match, he deserved to win.
“No one one can win all the time, I’m no exception,” said Nadal. “I’ve lost before and I’ll lose again, I’m not bitter or mad at myself.”
The top seed said that his main goal is to rebuild his noted intensity. “I’ve been trying to work with the exact intensity as usual, so hopefully I’m looking at a successful week, playing at home, which always makes me happy.”
“It’s very important to perform well here. For us, it is the most important ATP 500 event on the tour.
“Everyone is a rival. I’d be arrogant to say otherwise. I know that anyone can win a match and I go out on the court knowing that I could either win or lose. Mentally I’m fine. My motivation is always on top in this tournament.”
Spaniards began the week with first-round wins, as Roberto Bautista Agut hammered Poland’s Lukasz Kubot 6-1, 6-0, Daniel Gimeno-Traver beat countryman Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 7-5 and wild ard Inigo Cervantes put out Aleksandr Nedovyesov 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Russian Alex Kuznetsov beat Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the only early setback for the hosts.