Rafael Nadal hopeful of challenging for Australian Open

Rafael Nadal has targeted a strong challenge at January's Australian Open as he steps up his recovery from injury.

The Spaniard has been troubled by back, knee and wrist injuries in 2014, while also recently being forced to undergo surgery on his appendix, but he is confident of returning to full fitness in time to make a bid for a second title in Melbourne.

"What I have to do this month is to get myself fit physically, progress my tennis as much as possible and lay the foundations to start well in Abu Dhabi and in Doha," Nadal told AS.

"If you train well and you feel right physically, the process is much quicker. In a few days you pick up the speed of the ball again, the movement in the legs and, if I do good work at home and I play well at the start of the year, that could be enough to arrive in Australia well prepared.

"What I must do is play well, prepare, and when the moment comes, give myself opportunities. If one of those is in the final rounds, anything could happen."

Nadal has not played competitively since the Swiss Indoors in October.