R. NADAL/T. Berdych 4‑2 (ret.)
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.
Q. Obviously we would like to know your feelings today since you will become the new world No. 1.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, something that is present after a great year, one
of the best years of my career without any doubt. Was sad to make it
this way because Tomas had to retired, so I hope to see him recovered
for Shanghai.
For the rest, sure is special be back to the top position of the ranking
after more than a half year without playing tennis. I have 13 finals
this year in 14 tournaments. Is just something that I never did in the
past. So something very, very special for me.
Here we were with the situation that I came back to the No. 1 today.
That’s important. But at the end, it’s just a number. What made me
happy is all what I did to be back where I am today more than be what I
am today.
Q. When you look back and you remember how you were maybe the same
day one year ago, how you were for your first match in Vina Del Mar, how
did you feel about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think that’s all a process that can go the right way and can go the negative way.
So at the beginning was hard. Even with very good results was hard
situations. Then the level of tennis was much better than what I ever
thought can be in that short period of time.
Because in Acapulco, I played great. That’s the real thing. And in
Indian Wells, too. I never thought I will be able to play that good in
just three weeks, but it happened. I felt during all the season very
excited every time I go on court. Emotional situations, playing in big
stadiums again, and probably very fresh mentally. Very excited to
compete again and compete well and feel myself competitive against
everybody.
That’s it. I worked hard every day with the right attitude I think.
And because of that, I am today in this situation. But it’s not
everything done. Remain a match tomorrow. Remain Shanghai. I am No. 1
today, but it’s not done for the end of the season.
It’s something that will be a great finish of the season if I am able to
finish the season on the No. 1 spot. For that, I am sure I need to win
more matches if I want to be there at the end of the season.
Q. If you look back in the past few months, what do you feel is that
one quality that has stood by in getting where you are today?
RAFAEL NADAL: One quality in which way? It’s very difficult to say one
for the last couple of months, because since I came back after
Wimbledon in the US Open, I think I played well tennis in general. It’s
not that I played amazing forehand or amazing serve. No.
I think if we’re talking about tennis in general, I did almost everything very well since I came back after Wimbledon.
Q. Can you compare become being No. 1 today to the last two times
you took over the No. 1 spot? Is this time a little more satisfying
given the nature of your injury and what you had to overcome to be
here?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. At the end, I will repeat the same: The personal
satisfaction is not because I am No. 1 today; it’s because all the work
that I had to be where I am today.
So at the end, the real thing is I don’t feel myself better player now
than five hours ago. That’s the real thing. I don’t going to go to
sleep tonight feeling that I am the best player of the world.
That’s something that I never thought, and I don’t going to think now
today. I think that I played well. I played a very complete season,
and that’s why I am the best in the ranking today.
But what makes me happy, and I repeat it hundreds of time, is feel
myself competitive every time when I go to a tennis tournament, feel
that I can win and lose against everybody. And be healthy. Without
health, nothing is possible.
Q. Some people were saying one of the reasons you play at such a
high level is you take a long break to have your body well rested. Do
you have a plan to play a lighter schedule next season, to focus more on
bigger tournaments?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I don’t have that plan. But every opinion is valid. I feel that is not only one way to be success.
I didn’t had the chance to play tennis for seven months, but was not a
rest for me. Was a hard period of time. Was not my decision to stop
for six, seven months.
So when you had to stop because you are injury, you work every day hard
to recover. You find solutions. So it’s not the same when you decide
for yourself I going to have a break in my career and I going to rest
for four months without playing tennis and then I going to start the
next three months practicing progressive and I will be back fresher
mentally.
Was not my case. I don’t feel that way. And for the next season, as I
did during all my career, I going to do as much as I can in every match
that I going to play. In tennis, you cannot prepare‑‑ you can have an
idea what you would like to play, but it’s not the number of
tournaments. It’s number of matches what makes you feel tired our what
makes you adjust your schedule.
If you are winning a lot of matches you can play less. If you are
winning less matches, you need to play more tournaments. That’s all.
Q. Today we are having a very high level of pollution in the air.
Could you feel it when you were playing? Do you feel any influence?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I don’t feel that. It’s true that was raining few
days ago and then the next two days the conditions were nicer.
Yesterday and especially today again the pollution is here, so that makes the feeling, you know, not beautiful.
But if you talk about if I feel when I am breathing, no, I don’t feel.
Q. Asian players are built smaller than Europeans and Americans. Do
you think that is something that hindered Asians from dominating or
playing really good on the men’s tour?
RAFAEL NADAL: I’m not 100% sure on that. In my opinion, probably the
tradition of tennis in Europe and in Latin America is high; here the
tradition in Asia of tennis is more new, the passion for tennis.
That’s not the work of two, three, four years. That’s a work of longer period of time.
I’m sure if they find the right people, do the right things in academies
and find the right people to work on the kids, in the next 20 years
Asia will have great champions of tennis.
THE MODERATOR: Chinese questions.
Q. First of all, congratulations to be back to No. 1. My question
is, previously you said that before the match you have to know who is
the opponent, then you will work out a very detailed strategy in
practice and on the court. Probably tomorrow you might fight against
Djokovic. Are you willing to share with us your practice plan either
today or tomorrow? Thank you.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t have a practice plan. I practice the same way if
I play against one player than against the other. When you go on court
you have to adjust a few things when you play against one player or you
play against another.
But in tennis, you don’t have the possibility to make big changes. If
you try to do things that you are not doing often, you will not have
success.
For me personally, I’m not that good to change my game completely to play against one or another player, no?
I know tomorrow I going to have a very tough opponent in front. I need
to play my best, playing aggressive, playing without mistakes, being
solid with my serve. If these kind of things are not happening, I will
not have chances.
So I know what I have to do. Then it’s very difficult to do it, because
the opponent, the level of the opponent is unbelievable.
Q. In French Open you repeatedly said that you were not the
potential to even win the title, but eventually you did. Today you said
that you will not feel to be No. 1 in the world. Now you are No. 1.
Will this kind of attitude help you to be No. 1 in the world? You
always keep it low‑key.
RAFAEL NADAL: Is not an attitude. It’s what I feel. So it’s not
something that I come here and I say to you. It’s something that I
really feel. I am being honest when I am in Roland Garros and when I am
here saying the way that I really feel.
Q. Now you were No. 1 in the world. Either tonight or after China
Open are you going to celebrate this moment with your team? How will
you celebrate?
RAFAEL NADAL: After here I am going to go to Shanghai, so playing on
Tuesday or Wednesday I think is not the right idea to celebrate nothing.
Celebrations are for the end of the season, not before. At the end,
tennis is a sport that the negative thing is when you achieve something
important, you don’t have time to celebrate. In a few days you will be
another time playing and competing and playing against a player that is
trying to beat you again.
The positive thing is when you lose, you have another opportunity very
soon. But is not my time for celebrations. It’s time for keep being
focused. The season is not over. My work is not over. I need to keep
playing well. That’s what I going to try.
At the end of the season, even if I am No. 1 at the end or not, there is
a lot of reasons to celebrate the season, because one year ago we were
in is completely different situation. (Smiling.)
Q. On the way to being No. 1 in the world, you had a short week of
No. 1 in the world. You have every good potential to be the No. 1 in
terms of titles you won for the Grand Slam. Are you more happy to be
No. 1 or to win more titles in Grand Slam?
RAFAEL NADAL: The things are going together. If you are able to win
important tournaments, you will be able to be No. 1. But at the end I
fight for every week. I fight every match.
At the end of the season, we’ll see if I am No. 1, No. 3, No. 5, or No. 20. That’s the real thing.
If you ask me what make me more happy, win Grand Slam or be No. 1, first
thing I will say make me more happy is the work of every day, and then
have the success knowing how hard was to arrive there, how hard I had to
work.
Second thing, always the feeling when you win a tournament is very
special. For me personally, makes me a little bit more emotional
winning a tournament than what happened today. Today, seriously, I am
happy, yes. I am No. 1, yes.
But at the end, it’s different than when you finish a tournament or you
win an important tournament. For sure if I am able to be No. 1 at the
end of the season, then, yes, that’s like an important achievement
because I will be the best of the year. That’s an important thing.
That’s something that really motivates me.
Q. John McEnroe commented that when you recovered you have become
stronger in terms of physical energy and the skills. Do you agree with
his comment and what kind of change did you make?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t feel stronger physically for sure. It’s not
something that I am feeling. I know I am not. Talking about tennis, I
was able to play great tennis for most of the time this year.
But always the memory is short. People forget that in 2010 I played
amazing tennis; 2008, too. In 2012. Last year, I was playing great
tennis for the half year.
This year I’m playing another time fantastic level of tennis. I’m
playing at very high level, yes, but I don’t know if it’s something new
that I didn’t make it in the past. I’m playing well, very well. Happy
the way I’m playing.
It’s difficult to compare. But in the past, in 2010 I won three Grand
Slams; in I won two; 2010 I won two and the Olympics. Was a very good
result to say that I am playing better than ever today.
Only thing I can say today is I am playing very well and that’s it. Very happy for that.
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