Archive - The road to Rafa's career slam

World number one Rafael Nadal has played down his chances of winning all four majors in 2011, claiming a clean sweep is "impossible".

Nadal, who has won the last three majors, will complete a slam outside the calendar year if he wins January's the Australian Open in Melbourne.

"I will try to keep playing well and try to win four titles next year," the Spaniard said.

"But the Grand Slam, for me, is impossible".

Defending champion Nadal pulled out of this year's Australian Open while trailing Andy Murray in the quarter-finals, but, after taking an enforced break through injury, won a fifth French Open before securing a second Wimbledon crown and then winning the US Open for the first time.

The Spaniard is one of seven men to have won a career Grand Slam and one of 12 to have won three of the majors in the same year, but only two - Don Budge and Rod Laver (twice) - have gone one better by winning all four.

And speaking ahead of his match against Stanislas Wawrinka in the second round of the Shanghai Masters, Nadal admitted that the exertions of a long and draining season have taken their toll.

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However, the 24-year-old praised the crowds in Asia for giving him a much-needed boost on the back of his success in last week's Japan Open.

"When you see that people are supporting you like this, that gives you more power to keep working hard and to try to do it a little bit more," he added.

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