Rafael Nadal is back on track. After a couple of days training in Mallorca, on Tuesday afternoon the Spaniard reached Malaga to attend a Sabadell Bank event. He had a long interview with one of his most important sponsor, and the main topic was the Race to Grand Slam titles.

He has 16, Roger Federer has 19. Can Rafa overcome his greatest rival? 'Yes it's possible but it's very difficult,' said Nadal. 'Between saying and doing it, there is a lot of difference. No one guarantees me that I will play until 36.

I will play until when my body and mind will allow me to do it. I am not afraid or worried about the retirement. I am happy also without playing tennis, but adrenaline that the sport gives you is very difficult to find in other things.' He has 1,960 points more than Federer in the ATP Rankings and has many chances to achieve the year-end ranking as the world no.

1. What does it mean for him? 'Being no. 1 was not one of my goals at the beginning of the year. Obviously it's much better to be no. 1 than no. 3, but my priority was only to be happy, and to be happy you need to feel competitive, and to feel competitive you need to be healthy.

Being no. 1 doesn't give me any special feeling, but makes you feel more excited. It's like a reward for what you did. The vital thing this year was not to get injured, winning titles and fighting for everything, which is happening this year.

Last year in December during training sessions I noted that I was doing things better for the first time since a long time, but then you need to do it in competition and you have to be lucky. I came to Australia without playing any match for months, and probably the third round against Alexander Zverev, who is now no.

4, was the turning point.' If he didn't improve so much this year after having going through tough years in 2015 and 2016, would he have retired from tennis? 'Well, first of all I improved. Then it depends on many factors.

For me it's not all about winning. Winning is definitely an important part of the sport, but being happy is still important for me. So if I were still happy, I would not have retired.' How do you overcome tough situations? 'It's important to get helped and get suggestions, being surrounded by people who says without any fear what goes well or bad.

As the time goes on and working, you overcome it, and keeping yourself passionate is the key.' By now until the end of the season, he will play Laver Cup, then Beijing, Shangai, Basel, Paris Bercy and ATP Finals. 'My big goal right now is to play as best as possible.

I never won the World Tour Finals so I would like to do it, but seven other players want it too.' He finally commented on former Spanish captain Conchita Martinez being fired by the federation: 'Conchita joined the team in a complicated moment for the Spanish tennis in Davis Cup.

She did an important job, but last year directives changed, and like it happens in any new environment, they want new people. I am honest, I don't have any issue with Conchita. It was just up to the federation.' ALSO READ: Leander Paes: 'Federer, Nadal continue to reinvent themselves'