Rafael Nadal insists his Brisbane International withdrawal will not have a detrimental effect on his challenge for glory at the Australian Open.
On Wednesday, the Spaniard confirmed he was pulling out of the ATP 250 event in Brisbane due to a small strain in his left thigh.
It is far from an ideal start to 2019 for the 17-time major champion, with the first grand slam of the year set to get under way in less than two weeks.
But Nadal believes he has the know-how to manage his game - even in the absence of significant time on court.
Experience holds the key
"My hope is to win the Australian Open, that's the hope always," he told a media conference. "I feel myself playing well, at a good level of tennis.
"I have experience, I have knowledge of these things happening. If that happens to me 10 years ago I probably tell you my chances are much less, because before I felt I needed matches and to be on rhythm to compete on a good level.
"That's not the situation today. I showed I can play very well without competing for a while."
Nadal was one of three high-profile names to exit the tournament on Wednesday, as Andy Murray and defending champion Nick Kyrgios also bowed out.
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