10/26/2015
10/16/2015
Rafa #Nadal press conference after #R2 in Shanghai 2015
(Transcript)
Q. That was a really close one. Can you go through this returning game you've done at 5‑4 first set. Do you think this game put you back on track?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yes, obviously. That game was so important. Probably one of the best games return in my career. Yeah, almost a miracle. Three winners from first serve of him. That was really amazing.
Then after that, I have an opportunity at the end of the second with that Love‑30, but wasn't a real opportunity because then I didn't have chances on the return.
I think I played a good match. The only negative thing was the first game of the match. The real thing is he played so well the first set, the first game, too. He played well.
The first game start against a player you know you can't lose the serve, that was tough, very tough, start the match like this. But in terms of level of concentration and attitude and control of my emotions, was a fantastic match. To win 7‑6 in the third is very important victory for me, especially because I believe in the last tiebreak I did not lose no one point with my serve. That's because I was on self‑control again of my emotions. That's the most important thing for me today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yes, obviously. That game was so important. Probably one of the best games return in my career. Yeah, almost a miracle. Three winners from first serve of him. That was really amazing.
Then after that, I have an opportunity at the end of the second with that Love‑30, but wasn't a real opportunity because then I didn't have chances on the return.
I think I played a good match. The only negative thing was the first game of the match. The real thing is he played so well the first set, the first game, too. He played well.
The first game start against a player you know you can't lose the serve, that was tough, very tough, start the match like this. But in terms of level of concentration and attitude and control of my emotions, was a fantastic match. To win 7‑6 in the third is very important victory for me, especially because I believe in the last tiebreak I did not lose no one point with my serve. That's because I was on self‑control again of my emotions. That's the most important thing for me today.
Q. First rounds are always tricky. Do you think this one eased your nerves a bit?
RAFAEL NADAL: In a Masters 1000 like this, every round is so tricky, no? Tomorrow another funny match.
We'll see what's going on tomorrow. Tomorrow is a match on the return you don't have lots of chances. Going to be another day I need to be very focused again and serve well and try to wait for my opportunities on the return.
We'll see if I am able to keep going tomorrow. I am happy. Today is a good victory for me. He did win a lot of matches like this this year. I was under pressure because of the opponent. I enjoyed today. I hope tomorrow I wake up well, have a good warmup and play a good match again.
RAFAEL NADAL: In a Masters 1000 like this, every round is so tricky, no? Tomorrow another funny match.
We'll see what's going on tomorrow. Tomorrow is a match on the return you don't have lots of chances. Going to be another day I need to be very focused again and serve well and try to wait for my opportunities on the return.
We'll see if I am able to keep going tomorrow. I am happy. Today is a good victory for me. He did win a lot of matches like this this year. I was under pressure because of the opponent. I enjoyed today. I hope tomorrow I wake up well, have a good warmup and play a good match again.
Q. Do you have physical concern about the next match with Raonic?
RAFAEL NADAL: No physical concern, no. Matches like today helps. I believe that I going to be fine tomorrow, yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: No physical concern, no. Matches like today helps. I believe that I going to be fine tomorrow, yes.
Q. How do you feel with the conditions here at night regarding Beijing? Big difference here?
RAFAEL NADAL: The ball is different. That's the real thing. Something tough to understand that is not good for the players. Tokyo have the same ball like here. Beijing not. So having a Masters 1000 this week, the dominant term is the Masters 1000, so should be the same ball for the previous weeks, too. That's the difference.
The court is a little bit faster here than in Beijing. That's it. Court a little faster, ball different. But the conditions were good. Not much wind. Very beautiful court to play here. I enjoyed.
RAFAEL NADAL: The ball is different. That's the real thing. Something tough to understand that is not good for the players. Tokyo have the same ball like here. Beijing not. So having a Masters 1000 this week, the dominant term is the Masters 1000, so should be the same ball for the previous weeks, too. That's the difference.
The court is a little bit faster here than in Beijing. That's it. Court a little faster, ball different. But the conditions were good. Not much wind. Very beautiful court to play here. I enjoyed.
Q. Having to play another huge server tomorrow with Raonic, is it easier now that you've been playing Karlovic or is it tougher because it's a huge focus?
RAFAEL NADAL: You don't want to play these kind of matches. That's the real thing. At the end of the day, I won today. I played well. I had the control of the emotions. I have the control of nerves. I had the control of the point a lot of times. But I won by one point at the end for a double‑fault of him, and with the good points of me with my serve on the tiebreak.
So tomorrow is another match that decides in a very few balls if I am able to play well with my serve again. So we'll see. It's true that you don't want to play against big servers a lot of matches because the risk is higher and higher.
RAFAEL NADAL: You don't want to play these kind of matches. That's the real thing. At the end of the day, I won today. I played well. I had the control of the emotions. I have the control of nerves. I had the control of the point a lot of times. But I won by one point at the end for a double‑fault of him, and with the good points of me with my serve on the tiebreak.
So tomorrow is another match that decides in a very few balls if I am able to play well with my serve again. So we'll see. It's true that you don't want to play against big servers a lot of matches because the risk is higher and higher.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
10/14/2015
Rafa #Nadal pre tournament press conference #ShanghaiRolexMasters2015
transcript
Q. How is your physical condition right now?
RAFAEL NADAL: Very good.
RAFAEL NADAL: Very good.
Q. Have you some plan for the winter training?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, now I in Shanghai. I practiced a lot here. But I'm here to play a tournament.
The winter training going to arrive when the season finish. I am quite happy the way that I am practicing now. Playing well, I think. So this last part of the season for me is very important part of the training for next year.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, now I in Shanghai. I practiced a lot here. But I'm here to play a tournament.
The winter training going to arrive when the season finish. I am quite happy the way that I am practicing now. Playing well, I think. So this last part of the season for me is very important part of the training for next year.
Q. When you say you're feeling physically good, does that mean the foot injury you had in Beijing is completely healed?
RAFAEL NADAL: Was nothing. Was just a scary moment. Something happen. But I wake up the next day with no problem.
RAFAEL NADAL: Was nothing. Was just a scary moment. Something happen. But I wake up the next day with no problem.
Q. Maybe you will play semis with Roger. It's over a year you haven't met. Do you expect that match?
RAFAEL NADAL: I expect the first very tough match against Karlovic tomorrow. I didn't play semifinals on hard court until last week this year. So I go day by day.
I happy the way that I am playing. Last week was a very positive week for me, playing better every day. I keep playing well here the first two days that I am practicing, but tomorrow have a match that sometimes play well or play not that good. Cannot make the difference.
Depends all in a very, very small details. So we'll see what's going on tomorrow.
RAFAEL NADAL: I expect the first very tough match against Karlovic tomorrow. I didn't play semifinals on hard court until last week this year. So I go day by day.
I happy the way that I am playing. Last week was a very positive week for me, playing better every day. I keep playing well here the first two days that I am practicing, but tomorrow have a match that sometimes play well or play not that good. Cannot make the difference.
Depends all in a very, very small details. So we'll see what's going on tomorrow.
Q. If someone had said to you in January that in October you would be world No.7, you won't have any Grand Slam titles, but you'll be fit and healthy, would you have said, Okay, that's all right, or would you think that would be a bad year for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, obviously is not a good year for me, even if I am healthy. I don't want to lie nobody.
But at the same time being healthy, I am practicing a lot. The last couple of months I am practicing more than what I did last, let's say, six, seven years.
My physical condition allows me to practice all what I want. That's a very important step for me to try to recover the level that I missed. I think I am doing well.
My main goal is, I said in Beijing last week, just try to finish the season. I take that last part of the season as preparation for next one. This season not going to make a big difference on my year, not going to make a big difference on my career.
The tournaments that remain, I am on the fastest surfaces for me. Here is quick. Even if I like, is quick. Then I play in indoors, the toughest surface for me to play, no? Very tough tournaments.
So I take like a practice. Every match that I can play is an opportunity to practice different things. That's what I am doing: practicing a lot between matches, taking every warmup before the match like another practice, not like a warmup for a match.
Last week I was practicing before every single match more than one hour, taking just every moment like a preparation for next year. That's what I am doing.
That does not mean I not try my best in every match. I know this end part of the season can help me to finish with good feelings, so I am trying my best.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, obviously is not a good year for me, even if I am healthy. I don't want to lie nobody.
But at the same time being healthy, I am practicing a lot. The last couple of months I am practicing more than what I did last, let's say, six, seven years.
My physical condition allows me to practice all what I want. That's a very important step for me to try to recover the level that I missed. I think I am doing well.
My main goal is, I said in Beijing last week, just try to finish the season. I take that last part of the season as preparation for next one. This season not going to make a big difference on my year, not going to make a big difference on my career.
The tournaments that remain, I am on the fastest surfaces for me. Here is quick. Even if I like, is quick. Then I play in indoors, the toughest surface for me to play, no? Very tough tournaments.
So I take like a practice. Every match that I can play is an opportunity to practice different things. That's what I am doing: practicing a lot between matches, taking every warmup before the match like another practice, not like a warmup for a match.
Last week I was practicing before every single match more than one hour, taking just every moment like a preparation for next year. That's what I am doing.
That does not mean I not try my best in every match. I know this end part of the season can help me to finish with good feelings, so I am trying my best.
Q. I heard you came to Shanghai by train.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes.
Q. Do you like the trip?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I enjoyed. Some places beautiful views, and very comfortable. Yeah, was the first time. I wanted to do it last year but finally I couldn't. So I did this year. I enjoyed. If I play Beijing next year, I going to repeat the same trip because I like it.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I enjoyed. Some places beautiful views, and very comfortable. Yeah, was the first time. I wanted to do it last year but finally I couldn't. So I did this year. I enjoyed. If I play Beijing next year, I going to repeat the same trip because I like it.
Q. You kind of touched on it two questions ago, but you always said in the past that going indoors after here is probably your least favorite part of the season. You don't like playing indoors, you prefer having the sun over you. With having missed most of that indoor season last year, you just played one match, is there added motivation this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: The same like always, no? Actually, as I said before, for me every match and every practice is an opportunity to practice the things I have to do for next year, not the results.
Talking seriously, I have a lot of points on the 500s and 250s. For example, playing in Basel, to add points in my computer, I need to play the final, I believe. Less than a final will not count for me.
In Bercy, depends on the result that I do in Basel. Maybe playing Bercy, I going to lose points. So that's the real thing.
But I really don't care much. I am only care about the possibility to finish the season with better feeling than what I had. And I am on the way to do it. I feel the last couple of months I was playing better than what the results says. I lost a couple tough ones, like in US Open, like in Cincinnati. But feeling better in general, no?
One of the biggest problems that I had during the whole season, I was not able to control my emotions on court, something that I always had the right control doing all my career. The real thing is the last couple of months, that is much better. I feel almost under control again. That's a very important step for me to, first of all, enjoy, and second thing, to have the possibility to practice and to compete at the level that I want.
RAFAEL NADAL: The same like always, no? Actually, as I said before, for me every match and every practice is an opportunity to practice the things I have to do for next year, not the results.
Talking seriously, I have a lot of points on the 500s and 250s. For example, playing in Basel, to add points in my computer, I need to play the final, I believe. Less than a final will not count for me.
In Bercy, depends on the result that I do in Basel. Maybe playing Bercy, I going to lose points. So that's the real thing.
But I really don't care much. I am only care about the possibility to finish the season with better feeling than what I had. And I am on the way to do it. I feel the last couple of months I was playing better than what the results says. I lost a couple tough ones, like in US Open, like in Cincinnati. But feeling better in general, no?
One of the biggest problems that I had during the whole season, I was not able to control my emotions on court, something that I always had the right control doing all my career. The real thing is the last couple of months, that is much better. I feel almost under control again. That's a very important step for me to, first of all, enjoy, and second thing, to have the possibility to practice and to compete at the level that I want.
Q. As somebody who is used to a lot better results than you've had this year, how hard has it been for you to keep motivated, to keep going forward this year, to try to work out those problems with your emotions?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is not hard at all. I have even better motivation than before. For me is a challenge and is a new will to do the things again.
Sometimes I recover from injuries. This time what I had with my not having the control of my nerves or my emotion is like coming back from an injury, too. Is not a physical injury, but is a mental injury. And this for me another challenge.
I am working hard. I never had such a long period of time without playing at the level that I wanted. I played at the right level as close that I want, but I still lost a lot of opportunities this year that can change the dynamic of the year.
When you are feel that you are playing better, I lost the matches that I should win, close matches, third‑set matches. No one of these important matches, I win no one of those ones. So sometime is like a restart.
I believe that I am much better. I don't know what the result going to be till the end of the season. But I really believe if I continue with the same quality of practices, the same health on my body, I really hope and I believe that I can start the next year with another energy and I believe another level.
RAFAEL NADAL: Is not hard at all. I have even better motivation than before. For me is a challenge and is a new will to do the things again.
Sometimes I recover from injuries. This time what I had with my not having the control of my nerves or my emotion is like coming back from an injury, too. Is not a physical injury, but is a mental injury. And this for me another challenge.
I am working hard. I never had such a long period of time without playing at the level that I wanted. I played at the right level as close that I want, but I still lost a lot of opportunities this year that can change the dynamic of the year.
When you are feel that you are playing better, I lost the matches that I should win, close matches, third‑set matches. No one of these important matches, I win no one of those ones. So sometime is like a restart.
I believe that I am much better. I don't know what the result going to be till the end of the season. But I really believe if I continue with the same quality of practices, the same health on my body, I really hope and I believe that I can start the next year with another energy and I believe another level.
Q. I think you and Fernando withdrew from the doubles. What was the reason behind that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Him. I think he had some problem on the I don't know where exactly. But he told me he should come back to home to visit the doctor. He had some problem after the match with Bernard here. So that's it.
First of all is the health, and that's it. Is good that happened before the tournament start that another players can come in the draw. That's good for the tournament, too.
For me, at the same time, will be great for me to play a match today, a doubles match today before the singles start, but at the same time I played enough last week. Today I had very long practice, a good one.
So I going to play doubles in Basel, I going to play doubles in Bercy. Next year I probably going to play more with
RAFAEL NADAL: Him. I think he had some problem on the I don't know where exactly. But he told me he should come back to home to visit the doctor. He had some problem after the match with Bernard here. So that's it.
First of all is the health, and that's it. Is good that happened before the tournament start that another players can come in the draw. That's good for the tournament, too.
For me, at the same time, will be great for me to play a match today, a doubles match today before the singles start, but at the same time I played enough last week. Today I had very long practice, a good one.
So I going to play doubles in Basel, I going to play doubles in Bercy. Next year I probably going to play more with
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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