Rafael Nadal splashed into 2020 celebrating the New Year with friends and a firm resolution.
The world No. 1 vows maximum effort ahead of his 2020 debut leading Team Spain in the inaugural ATP Cup.
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The US Open champion joined teammates Feliciano Lopez, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and captain Francisco Roig as the Spanish team celebrated New Year's Day with a helicopter trip to Rottnest Island in Western Australia.
The Spanish squad is a strong favorite in Group B of the ATP Cup set for Perth starting January 3rd. Spain will compete against Japan, playing without the injured Kei Nishikori, Georgia and Uruguay.
“We are not taking this competition like preparation for another one, even if the Australian Open is around the corner,” Nadal told the media in Australia. “It’s a tournament that we want to compete well in, and then we’ll have a week before the Australian Open for me personally to practice and for some of the others to play in Auckland or Adelaide."
“So we are very focused on trying to be ready for this competition. “We are a team that gives the maximum. But there are other teams that are also prepared for that."
The 19-time Grand Slam champion is aiming to win his first Australian Open title since 2009 and equal Roger Federer's record of 20 Grand Slam singles titles.
Nadal has contested the Australian Open final in two of his last three Melbourne appearances.
The 12-time Roland Garros champion has reached the semifinals or better in seven straight majors.
Photo credit: Paul Kane/GettyImages/ATP Cup