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London - Rafael Nadal looked almost apologetic as he waved to the 17,500 fans inside London's O2 Arena on Friday after losing his third consecutive match at the ATP World Tour Finals without winning a set.
The six-time grand slam champion's 7-6 6-3 defeat by Novak Djokovic did not matter much in terms of the tournament because his loss to Nikolay Davydenko on Wednesday meant he could not reach the semi-finals, but it again illustrated how far the Spaniard has fallen in a relatively short space of time.
Unless Djokovic wins the tournament here, Nadal will end the year as world number two behind Roger Federer but on this evidence he will not be the biggest threat to the Swiss when the new season starts unless he can quickly re-energise his game.
At least next week's Davis Cup final against Czech Republic in Barcelona on clay could put a smile back on his face and maybe help him regain the confidence that has vanished.
It could prove the tonic Nadal needs because at present he looks strangely vulnerable. The fizz has gone out of his shots and his confidence to play long rallies, point after point, is also clearly lacking as 35 unforced errors on Friday showed.
"That's a big motivation for me, to finish the year winning," a dignified Nadal told reporters as he looked forward to Spain's Davis Cup title defence.
"I have the opportunity there to play well, to play good tennis on clay and to win, to win something important for my country and for friends."
Regarding his miserable form in London, the Mallorcan said it had not been too bitter a pill to swallow as he had arrived without many expectations.
"It's not too disappointing, no," he said. "It's only disappointing if you arrive here with the feeling that you have a big chance to win. But I didn't arrive here with that feeling.
"Every day I tried my best but the batteries sometimes finish and you have to buy another one. That's what I'm going to do for next year. Recharge and practice hard.
"Only by practicing hard can you get back to your best level. That's what I did all my life. When you feel better physically, you can play more aggressive."
