Indian Wells holder Nadal has no time to worry about the rankings

"I may be close in the rankings (trailing Roger Federer by 350 points) but it's not really," said the world number two Spaniard. "I have to defend this title and a quarter-final later in Miami.

 "It's all getting very difficult now," said Nadal, who - like Federer- is still to win his first title of 2008.

 "Maybe this is not the moment to think of the number one ranking."

   Nadal's last match was a straight-sets loss to eventual champion Andy Roddick in the Dubai quarter-finals a week ago. Federer bowed out in the first round against Andy Murray.

 The Spanish second seed knows he has a huge task awaiting this month on the North American hard courts before segueing into his beloved spring clay season in Europe.

 "I had an unbelievable season in 2007," said the winner of six titles in the last campaign. "But it's a new season now.