Spanish tennis star and current World No.2 Rafael Nadal has also achieved the rare feat of winning the Career Grand Slam. (Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal claimed that being World No.1 is not his target at the moment following his victory at the Mexico Open.
Nadal is the current World No.2 and a 19-time Grand Slam winner. He is just one short of Swiss maestro Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 Majors.
Nadal was of the opinion that at this point the number one spot was not his priority. He also said that though it doesn’t top his list he would enjoy it if he manages to reach it.
Nadal admitted that rather than being the top-ranked player what mattered to him most was to be competitive for as long as possible and thereby extend his career.
“My goal cannot be number one, if the opportunity presents itself to me as last year, fantastic, but I am at a time when my priority is to be competitive as long as possible and extend my career as much as possible.”
Nadal, who is currently taking part in the hard-court event at Acapulco last won a title here in 2013, when the games used to be played on clay courts. He has an overall two titles here, the other which he won way back in 2005.
Meanwhile, Nadal began his Mexico Open campaign in style with a win over fellow countryman Pablo Andújar on Tuesday.
Nadal overcame Andujar 6-3, 6-2 to advance into the next round where he will face 20-year-old Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.
The Spaniard suffered early in the game against Andujar and claimed that he was still adjusting to the heat and humidity of conditions in Acapulco.
“It was an awkward first-round game,” Nadal said. “I had not competed for a while and the temperature change is drastic enough… but I am happy with the victory.”
Nadal could once again regain his top spot with a win at Acapulco. However, Novak Djokovic has to fail to reach the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for that to happen.
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