Rafael Nadal: Dubai's tougher than a Slam

The players have voted the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships the best tournament outside the grand slams for the past four years and now world No 2 Rafael Nadal has just taken it a notch higher.

In an exclusive interview with XPRESS ahead of his campaign in Dubai next week, the 2006 champion said: "It is amazing. You have the top seven or eight players there. It is probably more difficult than a grand slam to win since we play in only six days.

*  Who’s your favourite men’s tennis player appearing in Dubai next week?

"It will be interesting, I had a good preparation and it will be exciting to play a tournament with the best players there."

The year, though, has not been particularly kind to the muscleman from Mallorca. He has played in three tournaments so far but has nothing to show for it. So, is he worried about his form leading into the showpiece event? "No, no worries at all," he said.

"I have played good tennis so far and have had good results. I reached the semis in Australia and the final in Chennai. It would have been better to win but I am satisfied with how I have done so far in 2008."

The feisty Spaniard also refused to admit that his much-publicised foot injury – one that prompted uncle Toni to call it career-threatening in November last year – had anything to do with his apparent slump in form.

"I don’t think so at all. I have played my best year in 2007 and that foot injury you talk about was in 2005. It is already over," he said.

Injured or not, Nadal is still considered by Federer as his main rival, despite the threat of Novak Djokovic as another possible contender after his Australian Open triumph.

So does the King of Clay think he needs to start winning other slams as well besides the French to remain the Swiss maestro’s prime challenger?

"Probably so, and that’s what I am working on."

"I suppose Roger said that because I am the No 2 and we also won a few tournaments last year other than the grand slams," he said.