Smooth-serving Grigor Dimitrov says he needs more time to hit his straps but concedes the same rules may not apply for the like of Rafael Nadal.
The Bulgarian progressed to the second round of the Brisbane International with a comfortable 6-3 6-4 defeat of Yoshihito Nishioka on Monday, a performance he rated highly given the rustiness of his game.
Tournament top seed and world No.2 Nadal was on court training shortly after Dimitrov's win, having touched down in Brisbane on Sunday night with question marks over his fitness still lingering.
The Spaniard has been troubled by ankle and knee complaints and has played just one exhibition match in Abu Dhabi since his retirement during a US Open semi-final in September.
"I wish I knew (what to expect from Nadal)," Dimitrov said after his win.
"But one thing is for sure with the top top guys, whether it's Rafa, Roger, Novak, Andy, you know, the capability of not playing for months and all of a sudden show up at a slam and produce some of their best tennis is out there."
After losing to eventual champion Nick Kyrgios in Brisbane's semi-finals last season, Dimitrov turned the tables at the Australian Open on the way to the quarters.
But injuries of his own crept in and Dimitrov faltered from there in 2018, the former world No.3 now down to No.19.
"The only thing I can do is just play as many matches as I can, and only then I can sort of, again, establish myself as that top player," he said.
"Considering how the past five months have gone for me, there's for sure areas that I need to focus on ... to get back to the level that I was."
Milos Raonic will join him in the second round after he dispatched Aljaz Bedene 6-0 6-3, while Dimitrov awaits the victor of Monday night's clash between local favourite John Millman and Tennys Sandgren.
