The 11-time grand slam tennis champion Rafael Nadal says it's unlikely he'll join Spain's Davis Cup team for its final next month, but is confident he'll be ready to play in the Australian Open in January.
Nadal says his knee is still bothering him, but he is ready to return to where he was before taking his big break from the sport.
Nadal, who is ranked No.4 in the world, has said he's in the final stretch of his recovery.
He won a record seventh French Open title this year beating the then-world No.1 Novak Djokovic but hasn't played since a shock second-round loss at Wimbledon.
The 26-year-old says he was hoping to regain the top spot this year but has had to reassess his goals following his injury problems - but Nadal is adamant he'll be 100 per cent competitive in Melbourne.
