I'll let this article and Nadal do the talking here -
"Rafael Nadal not expecting miracles ahead of MWTC opener against Andy Murray" [Sport 360, 1 Jan]
Rafael Nadal is not expecting miracles when he takes to centre court in Abu Dhabi on Friday, the Spaniard conceding that he is searching for some rhythm having lacked consistent match play over the past six months.
The world No3 contested just seven matches since Wimbledon last June having struggled with a wrist injury followed by appendicitis, which forced him to opt for surgery at the expense of competing at the ATP World Tour Finals. Nadal also received treatment for a persistent back problem he had picked up last January at the Australian Open and is now on his way to regaining full fitness.
He had three practice sessions so far in the UAE capital, one with Andy Murray on Wednesday and two with stand-in coach Francis Roig on Thursday.
“The level of tennis for me, I don’t know yet,” Nadal told reporters in Abu Dhabi ahead of his opening Mubadala World Tennis Championship match.
“I practised well, but when you compete it’s different. When you’re out for a while the comebacks are difficult always and here you’re going to compete against the best players.
“So it’s predictable that probably I’m going to suffer a little bit. But at the same time, I’m going to try my best to win, but win or lose, spending time on court will be a very positive thing for me."
Full article -
http://sport360.com/article/tennis/30848/rafael-nadal-not-expecting-miracles-ahead-mwtc-opener-against-andy-murrayMatch scheduled for 1pm GMT