MELBOURNE, Australia – Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal started on Wednesday his preparations for the Australian Open with motivation to win the title of the first Grand Slam of the year.

The Spanish star worked out under the supervision of his uncle, Toni Nadal, in Melbourne.

The world no. 9 player aims to improve his image of the last edition of this tournament, when he was eliminated from the first round against his compatriot Fernando Verdasco.

“The only thing that is in my hands today is try to keep working the same way I am doing,” the Spanish player said in statements released on the Australian Open website.

The winner of 14 Grand Slam titles recalled that he felt that he played great in Abu Dhabi and in Doha last year, but then he lost in the first round in Melbourne.

Rafael pointed out that he tries to do his best “in every moment.”

“I work so hard to come back after the injury in Mallorca, and I feel that I am on the right way,” Rafael added.