<div><p>MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Defending champion Rafa Nadal has declared himself fighting fit for the rigors of a grand slam but the world number two is not certain he will be back to his best at the Australian Open next week.</p><p>Nadal, whose five-set defeat of Roger Federer in last year's final left the Swiss maestro in tears, has struggled to reach his all-conquering best since knee tendonitis forced him off the tour for two months after the French Open.</p><p>"I think I'm playing much better than what I did the last four months," the six-times grand slam champion told reporters.</p><p>"I'm ready to try to play my best tennis, I think. I don't know here."</p><p>Since returning to the tour at the Montreal Masters in August, Nadal has not won an ATP title and has looked short of his fist-pumping best, although he reached the semi-final of the U.S. Open where he was beaten by winner Juan Martin del Potro.</p><p>After crashing out with three successive losses at the ATP Tour Finals in London, Nadal said he needed time out to recharge his batteries and find some confidence.</p><p>He helped Spain to a Davis Cup victory over Czech Republic in Barcelona in December and has warmed up for the Australian Open with a win at an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi and reached the final at the Qatar Open where he lost to Nikolay Davydenko.</p><p>NO QUESTION MARKS</p><p>"The only way to have confidence is winning matches, and winning important matches," Nadal said.</p><p>"So I did that in Abu Dhabi, I did that in Doha. So I think now I'm really in the right way."</p><p>The Spaniard has drawn 78th-ranked Peter Luczak of Australia in the first round and could face Briton Andy Murray in the quarter-finals.</p><p>Nadal, who allowed himself scarcely a day's break after the Davis Cup ended on December 6 before plunging back into training, said there were no question marks over the strength of his knees.</p><p>He also shrugged off not having outright favorite status, saying that people had been telling him he was favorite at the French Open every year before his 31-match reign was broken by Swede Robin Soderling.</p><p>"On hard court there's a lot of very good players and think being number two of the world, probably I am not the ... favorite but I am one of these ones, you know.</p><p>"Finally, the important thing is who plays better on court ... We will see what happens next week." (Editing by Patrick Johnston)</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=67020791&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

Copyright 2010  <a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance">Reuters US Online Report Sports News</a></div></div>