Former world number one Rafael Nadal has vowed to keep on fighting in order to return to his best form.

The Spaniard has endured a tough season to date, failing to progress beyond the quarter-final stage of any Grand Slam event.

Nadal's barren run has seen him slip down to seventh in the latest rankings, but he remains fully "motivated" to turn his fortunes around heading into the China Open.

"In the US Open I did better. Let's try here to do better again," Yahoo! Sport quotes the 29-year-old as saying. "I think I am working well. I am very motivated to go for that challenge that brings me the chance to overcome a tough situation for me.

"I love that feeling, and I am going to fight to make that happen. It's obvious that when you lose more than what you won, you lose your confidence, no? But the confidence comes back with victories and with good feelings on court.

"In the practices, there are better feelings for me. Now it remains to compete a little bit better in matches. But I think it's coming."

Nadal will take on wildcard Wu Di in the first round of the China Open.