Spanish great Rafael Nadal will be hoping the season-opening Brisbane International gives him the chance to kick-start his career following an injury-plagued 2016. The 30-year-old has won 14 Grand Slam singles titles in a glittering career, the last coming at the French Open in 2014. But his 2016 campaign was ruined by a wrist injury that forced him out of Roland Garros after the second round and saw him miss Wimbledon.

He then lost to Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the fourth round of the US Open and slipped to number nine in the world rankings at year end. But the Spaniard says he is fit again and insists he can still challenge for a Grand Slam title. "My idea is to stay here for a few more years and I feel enough motivation to be here," Nadal said after beating Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-4 at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi.

"I believe that I can compete for important things in the next three years." Nadal will be making his first appearance at the Brisbane International, a major lead-up tournament to the Australian Open, and one that boasts a high-class field. "I'm ready to play in Brisbane -- I hope to be 100 per cent ready to play at a good level," he said. "I feel I'm healthy enough, and I'm very excited to be coming to Brisbane for the first time in my life. I'm working hard enough to be competitive. That's my main thing, to be competitive.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2016