Barcelona, Dec 7 (DPA) Rafael Nadal expects to begin his 2010 training at midweek as he makes up for time lost during a pair of injury absences this past ATP season.
The world number two, boosted by a Davis Cup title for his nation at the weekend over the Czech Republic, should have no motivation problems as he picks up his regime at home on the island of Mallorca.

“I’m not changing my plan, I don’t want to make the mistakes of the past season,” said the four-time French Open winner who lost at Roland Garros for the first time in his career six months ago and also was unable to defend his Wimbledon title due to knee injuries.

The Spaniard has admitted that he made a huge physical and tactical error by cramming in too many clay events last spring - with the tipping point his insistence of playing in the Madrid Masters.

After winning a four-hour-plus semi-final over Novak Djokovic, he was hardly himself a day later when he lost the final to Roger Federer, with the Swiss also going on to lift the Roland Garros trophy a few weeks later.

“That was my biggest mistake. I had the knee problem but decided to play it anyway, since it was in Spain and meant something special to me.”

Once he did return to the sport in August, Nadal was not the same as before.

“I had a physical problem in the last tournaments of the year,” said the player who lost all three of his matches at the year-end ATP event in London prior to recovering his form in Barcelona at the Davis triumph.

“The situation prevented me from winning a title,” said the player who claimed his last ATP honour during May in Rome.