Nadal is low on confidence

SHANGHAI: Spain’s Rafael Nadal admitted he was low on confidence after a terrible start to the Masters Cup but remained hopeful he could turn his tournament around. The world number two was beaten in straight sets by outsider James Blake, extending a prolonged slump in which he has not won a title since May. But the double French Open champion said he only needed one win to get back on track.

“The problem is not the game, because I am playing very well,” he said late on Monday.

“I had chances in all tournaments, in the US Open quarter-finals, in the Madrid quarter-finals. I didn’t win and I was playing well every time. The problem is not the tennis, the problem is a little bit confidence. But win one match and it all changes, no? So I hope to win the next one after tomorrow.”

Nadal dominated the early part of the season, beating Roger Federer in four finals on his way to five titles including a successful French Open defence. But Nadal’s season has fallen apart since he lost the Wimbledon final to the top-ranked Swiss. He was returning to action after missing last week’s Paris Masters with an abdominal strain. Nadal was forced out of last year’s Masters Cup with a foot injury and was making his debut in the season-ending tournament along with Blake.

He will also meet third-ranked Nikolay Davydenko and fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo in the Gold Group round-robin.