World number one Rafael Nadal will reportedly attempt to put a new wave of celebrity coaches to the test in his bid to dethrone Novak Djokovic as the reigning Australian Open champion in the first Grand Slam event of the year, beginning next week.
Nadal missed last year's edition during a seven-month injury break with knee trouble before making a stunning comeback to win 10 titles in 2013, including the French Open and US Open.
According to Sport24, the Spaniard will aim to usurp the world number two's three-year reign at Melbourne Park, the longest of the Open era, and try to avenge his epic, six-hour loss to the Serb in the 2012 final.
The report mentioned that Nadal comes into the Open as the only 'Big Four' player without a star coach, after Djokovic and Roger Federer, aping Andy Murray's move in hiring Ivan Lendl, hooked up with Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg respectively.
According to the report, Nadal, who is still coached by his uncle Toni, underwent a new but undisclosed form of treatment on his injury-prone knees in the off-season, and he appears confident he can stay healthy in 2014.