Australian Open

Nadal cautious after 'tough' seven months out

ESPN staff

January 19, 2015

Nadal pleased to win after absence

Rafael Nadal didn't give the impression he was lacking any confidence as he raced through the first round of the Australian Open with a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win against Mikhail Youzhny on Monday.

Coming back from a right wrist injury and an appendix operation that sidelined him for much of last season, and coming off a rare first-round loss in a tune-up event in Doha, Nadal said he had concerns over his fitness coming into the first grand slam of the year.

He didn't show it, hitting 37 winners, breaking Youzhny twice in each set, holding his own serve comfortably and fending off the only break-point chance he faced.

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"Last year, second half of the year had been tough mentally, tough physically for me," Nadal said. "I played four matches in the last seven months - that's not enough to be back with confidence."

He said the loss to Michael Berrer in Doha earlier in the month was another dent to his confidence.

"When that happens after a tough period of injuries you arrive here with doubts," he said. "This first match was tough mentally for me - I hope this match will give me confidence to play well next round.

"My serve worked well, the return, and I played with not many mistakes."

Nadal hasn't won the Australian Open since 2009, but has reached the final in his last two trips to Melbourne Park, losing to Novak Djokovic in a five hour 53-minute epic in 2012 and to Stanislas Wawrinka last year.

He added: "I am working very hard to try to get back to my best level again and the only way to get there is to work every day on the practice court and every match is important.

"I was a little bit under doubt before, but I think I played without making too many mistakes and the only way to get better is to win more matches so it will probably help me.

"In general I was working well, returning well and I just need to build a little bit, such as being more dynamic with the movements some times. For the rest I am more or less happy."