Nadal braces for 'strange' days

Spain's world No 1 heading Down Under full of confidence for the first major of the year in Melbourne

Rafael Nadal sounded relieved on Sunday to be flying to Australia in better condition than he might have expected for the first Grand Slam event of the year and one he described as "strange".

A fine two-hour final at the Qatar Open, in which the world No 1 beat Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2, dragged some of Nadal's best tennis from him and gave him a physical and psychological test he certainly needed.