10/07/2014
10/04/2014
Rafa #Nadal Press conference after #QF #ChinaOpen 2014
(Transcript)
Q. How is the wrist? Do you think it affected the match at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: The what?
Q. The wrist injury.
RAFAEL NADAL: I talk every day about that.
Q. You don't think it affected the match at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: No.
Q. What was the difference tonight playing against Martin? You've beaten him twice before. Was it the long time away from the court that affected your play or did he just play that well?
RAFAEL NADAL: Obviously, yes. Obviously what affects this is when one player plays bad, plays without rhythm, no confidence on the shots, having more mistakes than usual, being not confident how to play the points and how to win the points, that happens, no?
I was not playing well. But I had 7‑6, 4‑2, breakpoint for 5‑2, then he play more aggressive, and I play bad mistakes. That's it.
When you are playing bad, the opponent is able to push you in some moment of the match like he did, is normal that he has a better chance than me to win the match. That's it, no?
I say it the other day. I coming back from an injury. As I say the other day, is not the perfect conditions for me to come back. Probably is the most difficult part of the season because different facts that I spoke about the other day.
But that's it. I came here to two tournaments knowing that normal things that happen like today are going to happen. Accept that. Is practice here. Shanghai, even if it's a Masters 1000, today I cannot think about big things. I have to think about day by day, trying to do the best as possible to do again quick. But I need time.
Q. What would you be happy with at the end of the season? Would it be just being fit and healthy, having played a few matches?
RAFAEL NADAL: I know probably going to be hard, this last part of the season, for me. It will not be easy after what happened. Always when you are outside for a few months, as I said the other day, is not the same as if you are coming back the next season that everybody start from zero. You are coming back now, and the other players are on the road, are in rhythm. Physically you feel more tired.
Talking about tennis, as I said the other day, the balls and courts are difficult ones for me this part of the season, probably the most difficult ones. Shanghai is very quick. Last year was very quick. The ball is good. But is very quick. Paris and London we play with the same ball than here. So for me will be tough to find the right feelings.
But I going to fight for it. I going to work hard with the right attitude to play better than what I did today. I going to try. I will be happy if I finish the season and I am able to take one week and a half holidays and I am able to practice one month with perfect conditions to try to start the next season with positive feelings.
Q. Is that the reason you decided not to play the Tennis Premiere League, was to have more time to practice before Australia?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry?
Q. You decided not to play the IPTL.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, sorry for that. You know how I feel after having an injury in important part of the season for me. American hard court season, that always give me lot of points, lot of positive feelings.
After that happened, I thought I will not be able to play in Asia this year. Will be not right for me. For me will be not the right thing to prepare the next season. I need to take care about everything.
I am not 20 years old. I am 28 and a half already, and I need to take care about the things that I am doing because the most important thing for me is be competitive as long as possible for me, more than be a little bit higher or less higher on the ranking.
Q. Rafa, did you find that once the roof closed, did that have any effect on the match at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. Nothing about that.
Q. In your career you've had three or four times when you have been out for several months. Does it become easier or more difficult to come back after that?
RAFAEL NADAL: After?
Q. After you've been out injured for a long time.
RAFAEL NADAL: More than tougher or easier, is tired, because at the same time it's like you start again from zero. Mentally is tough. Every time the same process start, bad feelings at the beginning. At the end, even if was a wrist, I was not able to practice the way I want to practice.
So you start again. You feel the body not prepared as usual. Physically you feel more tired. You feel more pains in the body. You don't feel the body working as usual. That takes time. That needs matches to be fit. Is like this.
But on the other side I did in the past well after an injury. I don't know if I am very positive about this last part of the season, but I am positive that I can be ready soon and be ready to compete well against everybody soon.
Q. Uncle Toni was saying he chose to walk away as your coach even before you have retired. Is that something you have discussed with him?
RAFAEL NADAL: Can you repeat?
Q. Uncle Toni said he may choose to walk away as a coach before you retire because he has a life to live. He thinks it's too much for him to handle the travelling. Is that something you have discussed with him?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. He say that he is not going to be my coach until the end of my career, is that what he said?
Q. He considered it.
RAFAEL NADAL: When he said that?
Q. I just read from some reports that he was saying that. You have no idea about this?
RAFAEL NADAL: First news. Still my coach, I think. He didn't tell me another thing. Talked with him yesterday on the phone.
Q. Klizan in last year's French Open and Wimbledon this year got one set from you. Today he got two sets from you and won the match. From your perspective, what kind of changes have you noticed in him so that he could win the match? Do you think left‑handers pose more challenges to you than the right‑handers?
RAFAEL NADAL: First of all, congratulate him for the victory. Is obvious that he did better than me. That's why he beat me. Always when somebody wins against another player, and he lost in the past, we have to talk about the changes that he did to make that happen.
I don't know. Only thing I see from my perspective that changed was I was not able to push him back. I was not able to play as I normally do when I am playing well.
He's a good player. He's able to play with good shots. That's it. He beat me.
The sport is not difficult. Is easy. When one player plays bad, the other plays better, normally the one who plays better win, and that's what happened today.
Q. When we were watching the match, we thought you had a lot of errors on your forehand, that your forehand condition is worse than your opponent's. Do you think the forehand was a major cause to the result today or any other reasons to explain the loss today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, forehand is an important part of my game, is obvious. If I am not playing well with my forehand, is obvious that I have a problem. Is obvious that today I had the problem. That's it.
Is not all about the forehand. The forehand is an important part. But the movements, the way that I am recovering from a not very bad position, but normal positions, I think he was able to find winners too easy. When I was defending, I was not able to play the ball long. Normal things that somebody does when one plays bad and I don't do when I'm feeling well physically, when I'm feeling quick on court, feeling that the opponent needs to hit a very good shot to create a winner. Today was not the case. When that happens, like I said before, that's it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
10/03/2014
#Nadal said he didn't know about Toni's plans & he talked to him yesterday. "Still my coach," he said. #ChinaOpen
@TennisNewsTPN
@TennisNewsTPN
Rafa #Nadal Press conference after #R2 #ChinaOpen (Transcript)
Q. There were 22 deuce points in the match. Why do you think it was
so tough for you and your opponent to win on deuce points?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I made a few mistakes on breakpoints, important mistakes. He has a good serve, so he's able to win free points. It is normal after a period of time without competing, only having one match before, normal that you feel a little bit the nervous, the pressure in that moment, because you need matches to be in rhythm, to be confident in what you do in these moments.
That's what happened, no? I lost a lot of opportunities to have advantage, then the last game was tough.
Q. You've been through two matches already here. What, in your opinion, is working well and what's not working so well after your three‑month break?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, in general I need to improve. It's obvious. My serve worked well today. But in general I need more rhythm on the legs, more rhythm on the shots, more good directions.
I am playing okay, trying to not miss a lot, trying to play with not too many risks. That's what I did today. It's the only way to have matches, only way to have rhythm. That give me already the opportunity to win two matches.
Tomorrow I going to have another match, so I going to play three matches here. That's important for me. Always in this part of the season, very tough draws.
When you have an injury, for example, at the end of the season, for example, if I am able to play the full season, I have the injury, let's say, today, and I don't play until the first tournament of the year, January, is a little bit different. Everybody starts from zero again.
The feeling is completely different if you have the injury in the middle of the season. The rest of the players are still in rhythm. You start again. Difficult part of the season for me because the courts are difficult. The ball here is ‑ I say it every time ‑ but the ball is so bad here. I know they have the contract with ATP for long time, but they have to make something, talking with the players. Lot of players are concerned about that, that the ball is not good. Is difficult to play my best tennis at the beginning, no?
But these few matches helps me. I'm able to practice every day with the good players. We'll see what's going on. Remain five tournaments for me, this one and four more. I going to try to finish the season as good as I can.
Q. In the previous match you said you hoped that your doubles match will help you a little bit. Do you think it contributed to your singles victory?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. I competed after a long time. At the end is a different story than singles. But gives you the opportunity to take the rhythm of the competition, to return, to serve under pressure, and gives you a little bit of extra confidence.
Q. What exactly is wrong with the ball? Too fast? Too slow? Too heavy?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know what's good (smiling).
Seriously, no, I think the bounces are not the same all the time. If you throw the ball on the floor, the bounces goes everywhere. Is not a question of winning or losing. I won in Rio with this ball. I won tournaments with this ball.
It's just that we're competing at the top level of our sport, tennis, and the ball is an important thing. There is a lot of good balls around the world. The brand of this ball is a strong brand. So if they have a contract with the ATP, they need to find a solution, change the ball, find another solution, because this ball is not working well.
I am not talking for me only. That's the feeling of the players out there on the locker room. Lot of players comes to me and tell me that.
But is not question of this tournament. I say it in the past. Is more than a year that we are playing with this ball, and the ball is bad.
Is not ATP Tour world‑class ball.
Q. Just on the different balls. There are different balls obviously used at different tournaments. There have been a few players with wrist injuries. Does that play a part in that?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me? Was not my case. But changing balls every tournament create problems because the feeling of the ball...
I understand for people who really are not players, probably persons who will read that, sounds strange. But the ball is a big difference. Is a big difference between one ball and another ball.
This week we are playing with one ball. Next week we are playing with a different ball. At the same time is a different ball and you need to adapt to the new ball in just two days.
That's dangerous for the shoulder, dangerous for the elbow. At the end that's the thing we are talking for a long time on the tour, since I arrived here, and probably before. Seems very difficult to fix that almost ‑ as everything.
Q. This week, does that make you feel more nervous when you play?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no more nervous. I said I don't have a lot of pressure. I had a good year. I was a little bit unlucky what happened in important part of the season, a season that in the past few years I played well. Played finals of the US Open, winning few ones. Playing some good tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati.
So was an important mistake. I lost an opportunity to compete in three very important tournaments. That's the negative part. The other negative part is I know coming back in the part of the season that I am coming back is completely different than if I am coming back on clay, little bit easier tournament, that I'm able to be in rhythm a little bit faster, a little bit easier. That's the negative thing.
Positive thing is another year I'm going to finish in a high position of the ranking, winning a Grand Slam again, and remain a few tournaments to try to enjoy the tour, the coming back. For me this last part of the season obviously is important. Every tournament is important for me. At the same time I want to finish with a better feeling possible to start the new season with good tennis, you know.
But for me now I am in quarterfinals here. As I say before, tomorrow another tough match. I going to try my best to keep winning. Every match is important for me.
Q. Just now you were named as the most dynamic player for 2014. Winning this award, what is your feeling?
RAFAEL NADAL: All the awards have importance, no? Fans say that, so thank you to the fans. I always try my best put all my energy on every practice, every match. Is a real thing. So thank you for that.
Q. Two days ago you attended Li Na's retirement ceremony. We know that you participated in a lot of players' retirement ceremonies. This occasion, you gave the flowers to Li Na. What is your feeling on that day?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, for me was a real honor to say good‑bye to Li Na. Is a very important player for the world of tennis. Asia and China is a very important market for the world of tennis. She's the first one on winning I think Roland Garros, Australia, Australian Open. Is amazing what she did.
It was an emotional good‑bye. But she did a lot for our sport. I think she did a lot for Chinese tennis. She deserve to be happy in the rest of his [sic] new things she going to do.
At the same time is a girl that always was nice with everybody. So for me was a pleasure to be there saying good‑bye to her on court.
Q. Yesterday you met the football coach of Guo An. He gave you the suit of Guo An. Will you be there to watch the football game? Did you know this Beijing football team? Did you meet this coach before?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I mean, I was yesterday having dinner with him. There is the physical performance coach of the team that is from Mallorca, a very close village to my village.
The team of coaches have been in Mallorca for a few years. So, yes, I met them in the past. They are here now. They are happy being here. Is a new experience, good experience, for them. So I was happy to talk about how is the experience for them here.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I made a few mistakes on breakpoints, important mistakes. He has a good serve, so he's able to win free points. It is normal after a period of time without competing, only having one match before, normal that you feel a little bit the nervous, the pressure in that moment, because you need matches to be in rhythm, to be confident in what you do in these moments.
That's what happened, no? I lost a lot of opportunities to have advantage, then the last game was tough.
Q. You've been through two matches already here. What, in your opinion, is working well and what's not working so well after your three‑month break?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, in general I need to improve. It's obvious. My serve worked well today. But in general I need more rhythm on the legs, more rhythm on the shots, more good directions.
I am playing okay, trying to not miss a lot, trying to play with not too many risks. That's what I did today. It's the only way to have matches, only way to have rhythm. That give me already the opportunity to win two matches.
Tomorrow I going to have another match, so I going to play three matches here. That's important for me. Always in this part of the season, very tough draws.
When you have an injury, for example, at the end of the season, for example, if I am able to play the full season, I have the injury, let's say, today, and I don't play until the first tournament of the year, January, is a little bit different. Everybody starts from zero again.
The feeling is completely different if you have the injury in the middle of the season. The rest of the players are still in rhythm. You start again. Difficult part of the season for me because the courts are difficult. The ball here is ‑ I say it every time ‑ but the ball is so bad here. I know they have the contract with ATP for long time, but they have to make something, talking with the players. Lot of players are concerned about that, that the ball is not good. Is difficult to play my best tennis at the beginning, no?
But these few matches helps me. I'm able to practice every day with the good players. We'll see what's going on. Remain five tournaments for me, this one and four more. I going to try to finish the season as good as I can.
Q. In the previous match you said you hoped that your doubles match will help you a little bit. Do you think it contributed to your singles victory?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. I competed after a long time. At the end is a different story than singles. But gives you the opportunity to take the rhythm of the competition, to return, to serve under pressure, and gives you a little bit of extra confidence.
Q. What exactly is wrong with the ball? Too fast? Too slow? Too heavy?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know what's good (smiling).
Seriously, no, I think the bounces are not the same all the time. If you throw the ball on the floor, the bounces goes everywhere. Is not a question of winning or losing. I won in Rio with this ball. I won tournaments with this ball.
It's just that we're competing at the top level of our sport, tennis, and the ball is an important thing. There is a lot of good balls around the world. The brand of this ball is a strong brand. So if they have a contract with the ATP, they need to find a solution, change the ball, find another solution, because this ball is not working well.
I am not talking for me only. That's the feeling of the players out there on the locker room. Lot of players comes to me and tell me that.
But is not question of this tournament. I say it in the past. Is more than a year that we are playing with this ball, and the ball is bad.
Is not ATP Tour world‑class ball.
Q. Just on the different balls. There are different balls obviously used at different tournaments. There have been a few players with wrist injuries. Does that play a part in that?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me? Was not my case. But changing balls every tournament create problems because the feeling of the ball...
I understand for people who really are not players, probably persons who will read that, sounds strange. But the ball is a big difference. Is a big difference between one ball and another ball.
This week we are playing with one ball. Next week we are playing with a different ball. At the same time is a different ball and you need to adapt to the new ball in just two days.
That's dangerous for the shoulder, dangerous for the elbow. At the end that's the thing we are talking for a long time on the tour, since I arrived here, and probably before. Seems very difficult to fix that almost ‑ as everything.
Q. This week, does that make you feel more nervous when you play?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no more nervous. I said I don't have a lot of pressure. I had a good year. I was a little bit unlucky what happened in important part of the season, a season that in the past few years I played well. Played finals of the US Open, winning few ones. Playing some good tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati.
So was an important mistake. I lost an opportunity to compete in three very important tournaments. That's the negative part. The other negative part is I know coming back in the part of the season that I am coming back is completely different than if I am coming back on clay, little bit easier tournament, that I'm able to be in rhythm a little bit faster, a little bit easier. That's the negative thing.
Positive thing is another year I'm going to finish in a high position of the ranking, winning a Grand Slam again, and remain a few tournaments to try to enjoy the tour, the coming back. For me this last part of the season obviously is important. Every tournament is important for me. At the same time I want to finish with a better feeling possible to start the new season with good tennis, you know.
But for me now I am in quarterfinals here. As I say before, tomorrow another tough match. I going to try my best to keep winning. Every match is important for me.
Q. Just now you were named as the most dynamic player for 2014. Winning this award, what is your feeling?
RAFAEL NADAL: All the awards have importance, no? Fans say that, so thank you to the fans. I always try my best put all my energy on every practice, every match. Is a real thing. So thank you for that.
Q. Two days ago you attended Li Na's retirement ceremony. We know that you participated in a lot of players' retirement ceremonies. This occasion, you gave the flowers to Li Na. What is your feeling on that day?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, for me was a real honor to say good‑bye to Li Na. Is a very important player for the world of tennis. Asia and China is a very important market for the world of tennis. She's the first one on winning I think Roland Garros, Australia, Australian Open. Is amazing what she did.
It was an emotional good‑bye. But she did a lot for our sport. I think she did a lot for Chinese tennis. She deserve to be happy in the rest of his [sic] new things she going to do.
At the same time is a girl that always was nice with everybody. So for me was a pleasure to be there saying good‑bye to her on court.
Q. Yesterday you met the football coach of Guo An. He gave you the suit of Guo An. Will you be there to watch the football game? Did you know this Beijing football team? Did you meet this coach before?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I mean, I was yesterday having dinner with him. There is the physical performance coach of the team that is from Mallorca, a very close village to my village.
The team of coaches have been in Mallorca for a few years. So, yes, I met them in the past. They are here now. They are happy being here. Is a new experience, good experience, for them. So I was happy to talk about how is the experience for them here.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
10/02/2014
The latest Toni Nadal interview(in Spanish) for @PlanetaTenisFM
Toni Nadal se confiesa en Planeta Tenis: "Mi adiós de las pistas de tenis está cerca”. http://www.planetatenis.es/entrevista-toni-nadal/ …
Toni has serious back problems and he will stop before Rafa retires
"How has your relationship with Rafael been over the years?" It changes like the figure of a father and son when he gets older.
"The relationships between people change. Especially with a big gap in age. As the relationship grows Rafael is changing.
At first I was dictating everything but as Rafael grows older it is the one to decide, not I, becoming repsonsible for his actions
...I have always worked with the idea that he was responsible, not me. "
"Do you have social networks accounts? " No. I think there is someone impersonating me on FB. But I'm from another generation.
I have little interest in sharing my life. I don't think anyone is interested."
"This August has been different for you. Instead of going to the US with Rafael, you stayed home. What was the change?"
"Obviously much has changed regarding recent seasons. We expected to be in the American tour but in the end we couldn't.
Always bad not to compete, esp when it comes to major tournaments like Rafa missed this summer but we had time to enjoy other aspects.
In life, you have to accept things as they come. In the world of sports there are times when injuries prevent you from doing
what you have been preparing but you have to eventually accept it. There are always reasons to be happy."
Abt his ret: I'm not worried about what comes next. I'm close to 'leave the tracks' whether Rafa retires or not. Keep in touch w tennis.
Rafa opened an academy in Manacor so I can work there. I have had several offers to go do things at different places in Europe
but what I have clear is that I want to continue in the world of tennis. "
and wouldn't like to be below anybody and that he has never felt uncomfortable being Rafa's coachToni rules out coaching any other professional tennis player, he says he doesn't like the tennis player-coaches relationships
"Is Rafa training the key to his success?" Training has helped but the key is talent. Traning can't make u one of the best in the history.
Toni thinks that Rafa might not have the same success with a different coach because he loved football too much as a kid
(Translation Via @Oliviaa_RN)
Toni Nadal se confiesa en Planeta Tenis: "Mi adiós de las pistas de tenis está cerca”. http://www.planetatenis.es/entrevista-toni-nadal/ …
Toni has serious back problems and he will stop before Rafa retires
"How has your relationship with Rafael been over the years?" It changes like the figure of a father and son when he gets older.
"The relationships between people change. Especially with a big gap in age. As the relationship grows Rafael is changing.
At first I was dictating everything but as Rafael grows older it is the one to decide, not I, becoming repsonsible for his actions
...I have always worked with the idea that he was responsible, not me. "
"Do you have social networks accounts? " No. I think there is someone impersonating me on FB. But I'm from another generation.
I have little interest in sharing my life. I don't think anyone is interested."
"This August has been different for you. Instead of going to the US with Rafael, you stayed home. What was the change?"
"Obviously much has changed regarding recent seasons. We expected to be in the American tour but in the end we couldn't.
Always bad not to compete, esp when it comes to major tournaments like Rafa missed this summer but we had time to enjoy other aspects.
In life, you have to accept things as they come. In the world of sports there are times when injuries prevent you from doing
what you have been preparing but you have to eventually accept it. There are always reasons to be happy."
Abt his ret: I'm not worried about what comes next. I'm close to 'leave the tracks' whether Rafa retires or not. Keep in touch w tennis.
Rafa opened an academy in Manacor so I can work there. I have had several offers to go do things at different places in Europe
but what I have clear is that I want to continue in the world of tennis. "
and wouldn't like to be below anybody and that he has never felt uncomfortable being Rafa's coachToni rules out coaching any other professional tennis player, he says he doesn't like the tennis player-coaches relationships
"Is Rafa training the key to his success?" Training has helped but the key is talent. Traning can't make u one of the best in the history.
Toni thinks that Rafa might not have the same success with a different coach because he loved football too much as a kid
(Translation Via @Oliviaa_RN)
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