8/27/2015
8/22/2015
Rafa #Nadal press conference after #R3 in Cincinnati (Transcript)
Q. I'm sure you're very disappointed of this loss today. How do you assess the improvement of your game between last week and this week, however?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played well today. I didn't play a bad match at all. I think Feli played great.
The match decides in ‑‑ playing against him when he's playing like this, my feeling is I didn't make nothing wrong, no?
I was there during the whole match with the right intensity, with the right attitude, doing the things that I have to do, trying to be more aggressive, trying to go to the net more often.
That's what I did. But today I played against an opponent that he played a fantastic match, I think. He played the best match ever against me, without a doubt.
I congratulate him. That's it. For me it's a tough loss because I was playing better and my feeling on court was better than they were before.
For me was an opportunity to win today and to have no pressure match tomorrow to see how the things are going, but was not that case. I lost.
This year, you know, in a lot of key moments of the year I lost a couple of matches that I should not lose. This one is another one. Is a little bit different than others, for sure. Others I lost because of my fault, because I played bad, because I didn't play with the right intensity.
Was not the case of today. So accept the lose and keep going. Is nothing more that I can say and nothing more that I can do than keep going and keep believing that with the work things are going better.
I think having less bad days than months ago, always an improvement. And for me the first improvement that I have to do is avoid the very bad matches, no, against players that I have ‑‑I should not lose. Then when that happens, then is the chance to go and let's see how I am with the top guys, no?
But for me that's the first goal, main goal, and my feeling is I'm doing better that. But today I lost a match that I should ‑‑I could win, not I should not. I could win, and was not that case. That's it.
RAFAEL NADAL: I played well today. I didn't play a bad match at all. I think Feli played great.
The match decides in ‑‑ playing against him when he's playing like this, my feeling is I didn't make nothing wrong, no?
I was there during the whole match with the right intensity, with the right attitude, doing the things that I have to do, trying to be more aggressive, trying to go to the net more often.
That's what I did. But today I played against an opponent that he played a fantastic match, I think. He played the best match ever against me, without a doubt.
I congratulate him. That's it. For me it's a tough loss because I was playing better and my feeling on court was better than they were before.
For me was an opportunity to win today and to have no pressure match tomorrow to see how the things are going, but was not that case. I lost.
This year, you know, in a lot of key moments of the year I lost a couple of matches that I should not lose. This one is another one. Is a little bit different than others, for sure. Others I lost because of my fault, because I played bad, because I didn't play with the right intensity.
Was not the case of today. So accept the lose and keep going. Is nothing more that I can say and nothing more that I can do than keep going and keep believing that with the work things are going better.
I think having less bad days than months ago, always an improvement. And for me the first improvement that I have to do is avoid the very bad matches, no, against players that I have ‑‑I should not lose. Then when that happens, then is the chance to go and let's see how I am with the top guys, no?
But for me that's the first goal, main goal, and my feeling is I'm doing better that. But today I lost a match that I should ‑‑I could win, not I should not. I could win, and was not that case. That's it.
Q. Three matches in Montreal last week, two this week in Cincinnati. Doubles, as well. Do you feel like you have enough matches under your belt ahead of the US Open?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is not a year that I feel that I am preparing for a big tournament, you know? Is not this time, is not this period of the ‑‑is not my feeling, no? My feeling is I go tournament by tournament. Every tournament is important for me and every match is important for me.
Today every match is a test. Every match is an opportunity to improve something.
I did the things that I had to do, I believe I have to do to change a few things that I need to be back to the right level.
I was trying to return more inside than before the first and second serve. I did yesterday; I did today; something that I gonna keep doing, gonna try to keep doing.
I believe I need to practice that and I need to improve on that if I want to have chances to be in the top positions for the next year and to compete against the best players, no?
I am working on these kind of things. Accept that some loses gonna come, maybe, but that's part of my career, too. Is period of time that I don't know if it's enough or not enough for the US Open. I don't think about winning the US Open today. I think about keep going and keep playing a little bit better.
I gonna try to be ready for the US Open. I gonna try to play a good US Open. Let's see if I am able to do it. I think the way that I played this week is a good line, so let's try to be ready for it and we will see if, when the US Open arrives, I am playing well and I have a chance to win matches.
But that's it. Is not preparation for the US Open at all.
RAFAEL NADAL: Is not a year that I feel that I am preparing for a big tournament, you know? Is not this time, is not this period of the ‑‑is not my feeling, no? My feeling is I go tournament by tournament. Every tournament is important for me and every match is important for me.
Today every match is a test. Every match is an opportunity to improve something.
I did the things that I had to do, I believe I have to do to change a few things that I need to be back to the right level.
I was trying to return more inside than before the first and second serve. I did yesterday; I did today; something that I gonna keep doing, gonna try to keep doing.
I believe I need to practice that and I need to improve on that if I want to have chances to be in the top positions for the next year and to compete against the best players, no?
I am working on these kind of things. Accept that some loses gonna come, maybe, but that's part of my career, too. Is period of time that I don't know if it's enough or not enough for the US Open. I don't think about winning the US Open today. I think about keep going and keep playing a little bit better.
I gonna try to be ready for the US Open. I gonna try to play a good US Open. Let's see if I am able to do it. I think the way that I played this week is a good line, so let's try to be ready for it and we will see if, when the US Open arrives, I am playing well and I have a chance to win matches.
But that's it. Is not preparation for the US Open at all.
Q. You talked about trying to eliminate bad matches. How do you do that, because you don't know when they are going to come? Going into the US Open now, how do you make sure you don't have a bad day?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't make sure. (Smiling.)
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't make sure. (Smiling.)
Q. How do you prepare as best as possible doing that?
RAFAEL NADAL: As I did in all my career, eliminate bad matches. I mean, don't play a match like I played against Fognini in Barcelona; don't play a match like I played against Fognini in Brazil; don't play a match like I played against Berdych in Australia; like against Brown in Wimbledon.
Try to eliminate as much as possible these kind of matches. That's something that I did great during all my career, and that's gives you possibility to compete against the higher level players with a little bit more confidence, no?
I am working hard. I don't know if I am gonna eliminate that for the US Open or not. That's it, no? The US Open is not everything. Is a very important tournament, very important tournament that means a lot to me. Is a tournament that I completed the Grand Slam and I won twice. I played many finals. I'm going to try to be there and have the right energy to play a good tournament.
But for me, the real thing today is I know where I am, I know who I am, and I know what's my real level when I am playing well.
And in what I have to be focused in is recover that level. That level is back, I gonna think about winning tournaments.
RAFAEL NADAL: As I did in all my career, eliminate bad matches. I mean, don't play a match like I played against Fognini in Barcelona; don't play a match like I played against Fognini in Brazil; don't play a match like I played against Berdych in Australia; like against Brown in Wimbledon.
Try to eliminate as much as possible these kind of matches. That's something that I did great during all my career, and that's gives you possibility to compete against the higher level players with a little bit more confidence, no?
I am working hard. I don't know if I am gonna eliminate that for the US Open or not. That's it, no? The US Open is not everything. Is a very important tournament, very important tournament that means a lot to me. Is a tournament that I completed the Grand Slam and I won twice. I played many finals. I'm going to try to be there and have the right energy to play a good tournament.
But for me, the real thing today is I know where I am, I know who I am, and I know what's my real level when I am playing well.
And in what I have to be focused in is recover that level. That level is back, I gonna think about winning tournaments.
Q. When did you first get the sense this year that this was going to be a difficult year for you? When did you first start to get the feeling that this year, 2015, might be a difficult year for you? Was it before the year even started? You had a lot of injuries and appendix end of last year.
RAFAEL NADAL: It's obvious that when you have 2012, seven months, eight months out, 2014 seven months out, six months out, that can happen, no?
Look, I am No. 7 in the race, so is not that disaster. I am enough humble to not consider myself that good, consider to be No. 7 in the race a bad number.
I had to keep going and keep fighting for every match to try to finish the year in the top 8. That will be a good news for me if that happen.
And if a bad year that I lost a lot of matches that I should not lose I am able to finish the year in the top 8 will mean that I am good enough. Because playing bad I am in the top 8, or we will say that if I am able to improve a little bit I will have the chance to be higher, no?
So is not the question of ranking or the question of winning or losing. Is a question of recovering the level that I have to recover, I want to recover.
I gonna work hard for it, and this week have been not a negative week. The same last week. Different story a little bit, because last week in the match I lost I didn't competed the way that I wanted.
Today, yes, I competed, but was not the day to win because I did the right things to be through, I think.
RAFAEL NADAL: It's obvious that when you have 2012, seven months, eight months out, 2014 seven months out, six months out, that can happen, no?
Look, I am No. 7 in the race, so is not that disaster. I am enough humble to not consider myself that good, consider to be No. 7 in the race a bad number.
I had to keep going and keep fighting for every match to try to finish the year in the top 8. That will be a good news for me if that happen.
And if a bad year that I lost a lot of matches that I should not lose I am able to finish the year in the top 8 will mean that I am good enough. Because playing bad I am in the top 8, or we will say that if I am able to improve a little bit I will have the chance to be higher, no?
So is not the question of ranking or the question of winning or losing. Is a question of recovering the level that I have to recover, I want to recover.
I gonna work hard for it, and this week have been not a negative week. The same last week. Different story a little bit, because last week in the match I lost I didn't competed the way that I wanted.
Today, yes, I competed, but was not the day to win because I did the right things to be through, I think.
Q. Have you learned anything new about yourself or the sport as you had these difficulties this year? Hard times, you know, you learn about yourself and things don't come easy. Just wondering if you had anything like that at all or you already understood that this could happen before?
RAFAEL NADAL: I always understood that that could happen. For me is, let's say, I always know that, you know, I never consider myself a big, big star. So I know when I appreciate so much when all the good things are happening to me. I enjoy all that things.
I am having a tough year, yes. Not terrible year, bad year. But 14 Grand Slams, 27 Masters 1000, so many tournaments in my bedroom. I cannot make a drama about these kind of things, no, losing matches. That's part of my career, too.
For sure, I am ready to accept all the things. In the other hand, I am the second player on the tour with more victories in my bedroom, no? So nothing to say. This is not the moment to cry and is not the moment to say how lucky I am that I am not winning matches today.
Okay, I am losing and is the thing that I have to accept now and I accept, and I gonna work to change that. But in the other hand I had an amazing career. I am having an amazing career. And I won much more than I ever dreamed.
So still a good chance for me to compete well in the next couple of years and seriously I think I gonna keep doing and I gonna be back again.
RAFAEL NADAL: I always understood that that could happen. For me is, let's say, I always know that, you know, I never consider myself a big, big star. So I know when I appreciate so much when all the good things are happening to me. I enjoy all that things.
I am having a tough year, yes. Not terrible year, bad year. But 14 Grand Slams, 27 Masters 1000, so many tournaments in my bedroom. I cannot make a drama about these kind of things, no, losing matches. That's part of my career, too.
For sure, I am ready to accept all the things. In the other hand, I am the second player on the tour with more victories in my bedroom, no? So nothing to say. This is not the moment to cry and is not the moment to say how lucky I am that I am not winning matches today.
Okay, I am losing and is the thing that I have to accept now and I accept, and I gonna work to change that. But in the other hand I had an amazing career. I am having an amazing career. And I won much more than I ever dreamed.
So still a good chance for me to compete well in the next couple of years and seriously I think I gonna keep doing and I gonna be back again.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
8/13/2015
Rafa #Nadal press conference after #R2 at Coupe Rogers 2015 (Transcript)
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. How is it to get back in your rhythm on that surface?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think it was a good match, no? Only one bad game in the whole match, I think, 5‑4 with my serve in the first set. The rest was a positive match I think.
Not easy conditions today, no? A lot of wind. A player who don't want to play a lot of points from the baseline, so just try to play the points shorter, so going to the net, playing with the slice. Was not an easy opponent to start.
Happy the way I managed the match. As I say, only that game, 5‑4 with my serve, in the first set. The rest was very positive.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think it was a good match, no? Only one bad game in the whole match, I think, 5‑4 with my serve in the first set. The rest was a positive match I think.
Not easy conditions today, no? A lot of wind. A player who don't want to play a lot of points from the baseline, so just try to play the points shorter, so going to the net, playing with the slice. Was not an easy opponent to start.
Happy the way I managed the match. As I say, only that game, 5‑4 with my serve, in the first set. The rest was very positive.
Q. Early in the tiebreaker, you had that exchange where you had a couple chances for the big killer overhead smash. Your opponent stayed alive. Does having the opportunity for those plays bring out the beast or killer instinct in you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I make a mistake. I think he's going to the other side. The first smash was the one that I had to win. The next few smashes were not easy because was a lot of wind out there. The ball was coming so high. I was happy that I didn't miss (smiling).
Then he was quick on serving those balls. In general I played a good tiebreak, I think. In the second set, I played a good tennis.
RAFAEL NADAL: I make a mistake. I think he's going to the other side. The first smash was the one that I had to win. The next few smashes were not easy because was a lot of wind out there. The ball was coming so high. I was happy that I didn't miss (smiling).
Then he was quick on serving those balls. In general I played a good tiebreak, I think. In the second set, I played a good tennis.
Q. Do you prefer starting with a tougher match like that or starting with an easier match? Is it easier to find your groove with a tougher opponent like that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't prefer nothing (smiling). I prefer to be here with a victory; doesn't matter the way. Important thing is winning. You have another opportunity tomorrow.
The same time this is a part of the season that I won zero points last year. Every match that I won are points that I add to the computer for my ranking. That's important for me today. So every victory is important for me.
That was a good one. Let's try tomorrow.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't prefer nothing (smiling). I prefer to be here with a victory; doesn't matter the way. Important thing is winning. You have another opportunity tomorrow.
The same time this is a part of the season that I won zero points last year. Every match that I won are points that I add to the computer for my ranking. That's important for me today. So every victory is important for me.
That was a good one. Let's try tomorrow.
Q. It's been a disappointing year for you so far by your high standards.
RAFAEL NADAL: Disappointing year? The year is obviously the worst year since couple years ago. But the year is not finished, so...
RAFAEL NADAL: Disappointing year? The year is obviously the worst year since couple years ago. But the year is not finished, so...
Q. Do you feel with a deep run here you have a chance at the US Open?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know if I have a chance at the US Open. I don't know if I have a chance here or not. The only thing that I know is that all the ups and downs I had during the whole season, the line is positive, no? Is not up and down with negative line. Since the beginning of the season I think my level of tennis has been still up and down, but during the whole season was little bit higher level, no?
That's important for me. I go day by day. Today is a victory that I am happy with. I satisfied the way that I played. I am practicing well. I am practicing more than ever now because I am healthy and because I feel that's what I need today.
I won in Hamburg a couple weeks ago. That was an important victory here. Six consecutive victories, didn't happen that very often during the season. That's a positive moment for me. Let's try to continue with that moment tomorrow.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know if I have a chance at the US Open. I don't know if I have a chance here or not. The only thing that I know is that all the ups and downs I had during the whole season, the line is positive, no? Is not up and down with negative line. Since the beginning of the season I think my level of tennis has been still up and down, but during the whole season was little bit higher level, no?
That's important for me. I go day by day. Today is a victory that I am happy with. I satisfied the way that I played. I am practicing well. I am practicing more than ever now because I am healthy and because I feel that's what I need today.
I won in Hamburg a couple weeks ago. That was an important victory here. Six consecutive victories, didn't happen that very often during the season. That's a positive moment for me. Let's try to continue with that moment tomorrow.
Q. This is the second time this week that you mentioned not having any points in the computer from last year. How does that make you feel? Does it make you feel a little bit more relaxed knowing that you don't have any points to defend?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no. Not at all, no. Seriously, when I go to every tournament, I don't think about if I have to defend or if I don't have to defend nothing. I go to the tournament with the motivation to play a good tournament and to win as many matches as possible, no?
But is obvious during the rest of the season I don't have to defend nothing. Every good result that I have will add some points to the computer for me. That will help.
It's tougher, the tournaments, when you are outside of the top four or top eight. The tournaments can be much tougher. You are not seeded high. So is important for me stay seeded in a good position for the next tournaments.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no. Not at all, no. Seriously, when I go to every tournament, I don't think about if I have to defend or if I don't have to defend nothing. I go to the tournament with the motivation to play a good tournament and to win as many matches as possible, no?
But is obvious during the rest of the season I don't have to defend nothing. Every good result that I have will add some points to the computer for me. That will help.
It's tougher, the tournaments, when you are outside of the top four or top eight. The tournaments can be much tougher. You are not seeded high. So is important for me stay seeded in a good position for the next tournaments.
Q. On a day when you have a singles match and a doubles match, I saw your practice this morning, it looked like a hard, long session. Do you believe that work ethic gets you back to No.1 or are there people saying that you don't have to work so hard, take it easy on your body now?
RAFAEL NADAL: I do what I feel is better for my tennis. I feel that, you know, normally before tournaments I practice two hours. Here I arrived on Thursday, so I practiced Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday three hours every day. So more than usual.
Playing doubles here helps to get more adapt to the hard court, with returns, with fast movements. That's why I am playing doubles here.
RAFAEL NADAL: I do what I feel is better for my tennis. I feel that, you know, normally before tournaments I practice two hours. Here I arrived on Thursday, so I practiced Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday three hours every day. So more than usual.
Playing doubles here helps to get more adapt to the hard court, with returns, with fast movements. That's why I am playing doubles here.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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