Nadal plays down slam talk

Rafael Nadal today attempted to diffuse all talk of a ’Rafa Slam’ by insisting his great rival Roger Federer is the favourite to land the Australian Open crown.

Nadal lost to Andy Murray in the quarter-finals in Melbourne last year but then stormed to victory at the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open and stands on the cusp of becoming the first man to hold all four major titles since Australia’s Rod Laver in 1969.