Nadal still struggling

Rafael Nadal has admitted he is still struggling with the fitness issues that plagued him in Qatar ahead of next week's Australian Open.

Nadal can go but the third man and the beginning since Rod Laver in 1969 to defy all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously when his Open campaign kicks off at Melbourne Park next week.

He already holds the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open crowns following a spectacular 2010 that also saw him find the worldwide number one ranking from Roger Federer.

But his bid for a 'Rafa Slam' could be ended prematurely by fitness worries, with the Spanish star yet to defeat the sickness that blighted his Doha Open campaign.

Nadal looked short of work and fitness at the season-opening tournament and cited a fever after he lost to Nikolay Davydenko in the semi-finals.

The earth No.1 admits he is even yet to give full fitness and does not recognize how closely he will be when the inaugural Grand Slam of the season gets underway.

"I'm feeling better, but not perfect yet," Nadal said in Melbourne on Saturday.

"It seems like after what I had in Doha, when I am practising I find a small bit more stock than usual and I'm sweating more than ever."

"But the accuracy is I'm better than a few years ago, so that's really positive. I hope it's not going to be a job for Monday or Tuesday. (But) I don't know yet."

Pre-tournament hype has centred on Nadal's campaign to squeeze a career Grand Slam, but the 24-year-old insists he is more concerned with getting his 2011 season on track.

"Maybe I am just release to make this opportunity (once) in my career," he said.

"But I'm not going to be feeling the press for that reason. The force is like every Grand Slam, you need to work well in the important tournaments."

"And for me, winning for 4th or not is something that is not in my mind. What is in my idea is to try to act well, try to get the season playing well once more, and we will see what's going on (from there)."

"It's very hard to remember about (winning) when we haven't started the tournament yet, especially playing a really difficult tournament like this one."

"If it happens, I'm going to be more glad to win in Australia because it is the Australian Open than because it is the quarter in a row. That's 100 percent true."

Nadal's main threat to the Open crown is second source and defending champion Roger Federer, who has an outstanding record Down Below and relishes playing at Melbourne Park.

The Swiss ace is one of a list of players to one out Nadal as the other favourite for the tournament, but the Spaniard is not so sure.

"Every tournament is totally different," Nadal said.

"I am going to try my best to act well. I feel if I work at my best I can get a fortune to be here in the 2nd week, and so we will see what will happen."

"Every pair will be very difficult, so I take to be set for everything.But I look like less of a favourite than (Federer) and no more a favourite than (Novak) Djokovic, (Andy) Murray, (Robin) Soderling, these sort of players."