In an interview with El Pais, Rafael Nadal admits that he lost a little drive in 2011 because of many years of playing, and says that it's natural. "Over the years you'll lose a little intensity," he said. "You burn with the [amount of] competition. For the past seven years I've been ranked in top two and that’s how it works in tennis. It's like when it’s said that I get hurt a lot. I do not get hurt much. It is impossible that I've been hurt a lot. Many people write from an emotional sense and not with pure [facts]. I have had hard times, problems, but not harsh injuries."
Nadal also said that he was too predicable this year and needs to regain the strength in his legs, drive and concentration. "Many times I had the feeling that I had no control of my matches," he said.
The 10-time Grand Slam champion also ran off a long list of things he did wrong against Novak Djokovic, whom he lost to in six finals this year.
"I failed in our first match at Indian Wells, where I should have won because the match was up to me at all times, until I started to play very badly. If I had won that match it would have lessened the anxiety in many other [matches]. In Miami, I got heat stroke, and yet I fought until the end. There was very little [that kept me from winning]. The final that really hurt me was Rome. What have I done wrong? In the third set of the U.S. Open final I went further [inside the court]. I went to my limit and made him go to his limit. I had cramps after the match against [David] Nalbandian, I left the tournament limping ... I took [Djokovic] to the limit. If I'm good in the beginning of the fourth set, we would have seen what would have happened. He was half groggy."
Nadal added that in order to be more successful in 2012, he needs to play inside the court more, be a more overwhelming player and not wait until he plays the top players to be aggressive, so he can get used to playing that way. "From Indian Wells to Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in London, that’s where I have to be my best," he said.