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World No.1 Rafael Nadal says he's still a tad jet lagged, but he's confident he'll be ready to fire when his ATP Cup campaign begins in Perth.
World No.1 Rafael Nadal is hungry for more team success, saying he won't be using the inaugural ATP Cup as merely a warm-up for the Australian Open.
Spain will start as hot favourites to win the new $22 million, 24-nation event that begins this week in Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney.
With significant prize money, ranking points, and national pride on the line, the tournament holds far more importance than the now-defunct Hopman Cup or some of the other lead-in events that used to exist as warm-ups for the Australian Open.
Nadal has the chance to equal Roger Federer's record of 20 grand slam titles when he competes at the Australian Open later this month.
But the 33-year-old, who spearheaded Spain's title-winning Davis Cup campaign in November, insists all of his focus is on the ATP Cup, where he'll team up with world No.9 Roberto Bautista Agut.
"We are not taking this competition like preparation for another one, even if the Australian Open is around the corner," Nadal said.
"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."
Nadal said he was still shaking off jet lag after arriving in Perth in the early hours of Monday morning.
But he's adamant he will be ready to fire in time for Spain's opening tie against Georgia at RAC Arena on Saturday night.
Nadal's scheduled blockbuster clash with world No.13 Kei Nishikori next week now won't go ahead after the Japanese star pulled out of the Australian summer with an elbow injury.
"That's part of our sport, and the negative part of our beautiful sport - the injuries," Nadal said.
"I wish him a good recovery."
Nadal followed in the footsteps of Federer by taking a selfie with a quokka on Wednesday during a government-sponsored trip to Rottnest Island.
"They are super friendly, not too scared to be close to people," Nadal said of the quokkas.
"We had some fun with them."
