RAFAEL NADAL INTERVIEW 14 MAY 2013
by ATP Staff
14.05.2013


Q: Hello. Could you talk about the adjustment form clay to Madrid to Rome in terms of conditions R. Nadal: Well it just something it fells a little bit different with the altitude and sea level and that the only thing …. it is true to play 2 Master 1000 back to back is difficult when you are in the final rounds and no time to prepare the next tournament and I arrived yesterday and so I am here to try my best.


Q: Over the years you have had great success. How important is this tournament for what happens at Roland Garros.

R. Nadal: Probably no effect at all on what will happen in Roland Garros. I will repeat the same that I said in Madrid – this tournament is enough important to not talk about Roland Garros. I am having a good clay season and I played two fantastic matches in Montecarlo and Barcelona and 3 finals and winning 2 and so I think that there is no effect with the result here and Roland Garros. Here I think about Rome.


Q: You been to every final in every tournament this year. Are there any issues about tiredness this week. R. Nadal: No I don’t want to play all the finals. I hopefully wont lose a final this week or at Roland Garros but its normal to lose. My comeback is a dream and I am happy and I can play better with less pressure.


Q: What started you comeback did you have any goal during the clay court season or was it only just to get back and play.

R. Nadal: My goal and my only goal before when I started to play was to get 100% healthily and that is the only thing that worries me today. I don't forget to play tennis in 7 months and I am now practicing and I am confident to have chances to compete well and come back like in 2012 when I was healthy to play and the important think is more than titles and rankings and it is to enjoy playing and the challenge that the opponents bring and this can happen when you are healthy.


Q: Do you not feel that you have a lot of titles but no time to enjoy the.

R. Nadal: This is not my first year on the tour and so nothing is new. You expect to play every week in this part of the season and if I win I'm happy and after 3 hours of the final you start to be worried and so that it is.


Q: Rafa, you have been out for 7 months and you’ve never given any surprise – everything is the same and the same level and there is no change at all.

R. Nadal: I didn't come to the same level its not true – I'm still not like last year when I played 6 hours against the best Djokovic in Australia and I won. I am not ready to do that when I can me back and I don’t know if I am ready. When I started in Chile and Brazil I did not feel that I played well but I started to win and then it was true in Acapulco with a fantastic final and before that I felt from San Paolo to Acapulco that I improved my level and so I stopped for 4 months but I did not play all the time well. In Barcelona I didn't play well which sounds strange because I won …… I think in Madrid for moments I played a high level and that is why I am happy today and I played aggressive and the forehand worked in the best occasions which is good for it is one of the most important shots.


Q: Fabio Fognini is a good friend and what do you think about playing against him R. Nadal: He's doing great and a great season and improved and playing good matches against big opponents and fantastic result in Montecarlo and so he is a dangerous player and it is a tough round for me and I will try to win and play my best but I am sure it will be a difficult match for me.


Q: We are now 3 months into your comeback. Are you practicing the same as this time last year. If not, what is the difference.

R. Nadal: I am not practicing a lot. Today 50 minutes and one year ago it was close to 2 hours and so since this is not decisive because I am competing well and keep chances to win and so it is important to adapt to conditions and accept your situation and do as good as you can and its important to be here and competing and I am enjoying and I am not able to do all that I wanted to do and this is more than 4 - 5 months ago.


Q: Murray said that you are so ahead of the pack on clay even when you came back you were still able to win and meet the opponents. You said you didn't play well in Barcelona so do you thin that is what happened. Do you feel you are so far ahead.

R. Nadal: No. I never had that feeling and so this is why I had this success. I respect every player and I don’t feel better and I think I can lose or win and I think every match is important and this is why I have been able to play well in my career and everything can happen and from the first ball to the final against a top player. To be in the final there have to be tough moments like against Ferrer and I was close to losing the match but I was lucky to be there mentally and play two fantastic matches …… semi and final and who plays this tournament or every other tournament that we play is a fantastic player.





ROME 2013 TUESDAY INTERVIEW NADAL
Photos: AFP