With his Monte Carlo Masters semifinal showdown with world's no.1 Novak Djokovic looming, Rafael Nadal admitted that he's not going to be the favorite in the match against the Serbian star. Nevertheless, the 8-time Monte Carlo winner vowed to bring his A-game against a guy he considers the best in the world right now.

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"Tomorrow against Novak I am not the favorite! That's obvious and I have been saying that already since the start of the tournament. Currently Djokovic is so high in form that he is above all players," Nadal told the press during Friday's press conference after beating compatriot David Ferrer 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in their quarterfinal match-up via Tennis World USA.  

"When you play against someone who is winning as much as Novak is doing it is for sure not easy. He is playing almost perfect tennis. He is doing everything right and has been winning matches very easily."

Nadal, who is off to arguably his slowest start in his career after bowing out early in the first two ATP Masters 1000 tournaments (Indian Wells and Miami Masters), even claimed that the odds of beating a very sharp Djokovic is too great that he feels he has nothing to lose on Saturday

Still, the Mallorcan Bulls is aware that beating the top netter in the world in the semis would assure him an easier opponent in the championship round, where he has a chance to bag only his second tournament win of the season.

It has been a tough first quarter of the calendar for Nadal after going through early-round setbacks in Indian Wells and Miami. His diminishing mental game is being blamed as the primarily factor to his current struggle, which is something he never dealt with before.

TagsMonte Carlo Masters, Roger Federer, rafael nadal, ATP Tour news, ATP World Tour