3 |  | R. Nadal | 6 | 610 | 5 | Quarterfinals |
6 | | M. Raonic | 4 | 712 | 7 | Mar 20, Completed |
Match Time:02:58:20
| Match | Milos Raonic | Rafael Nadal |
|---|---|---|
| Service Statistics | ||
| Aces | 19 | 7 |
| Double Faults | 6 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 61% | 64% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 59/73 (81%) | 54/66 (82%) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 22/46 (48%) | 24/37 (65%) |
| Break Points Saved | 6/7 (86%) | 3/4 (75%) |
| Service Games Played | 17 | 17 |
| Return Statistics | ||
| 1st Return Points Won | 12/66 (18%) | 14/73 (19%) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 13/37 (35%) | 24/46 (52%) |
| Break Points Won | 1/4 (25%) | 1/7 (14%) |
| Return Games Played | 17 | 17 |
| Points Statistics | ||
| Total Service Points Won | 81/119 (68%) | 78/103 (76%) |
| Total Return Points Won | 25/103 (24%) | 38/119 (32%) |
| Total Points Won | 106/222 (48%) | 116/222 (52%) |
bnppo15
transcripts
video presser
IW: Qtrfinal Press Conference Transcript w/video
3/21/2015Rafaholics
Video:
BNP PARIBAS OPEN
March 20, 2015
Rafael Nadal
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA
M. RAONIC/R. Nadal
4‑6, 7‑6, 7‑5
4‑6, 7‑6, 7‑5
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. For almost two sets maybe you played your best tennis in one week. Then you looked like tired because something that what happened or maybe something else.
RAFAEL NADAL: In the third?
Q. No, for the first two sets.
RAFAEL NADAL: But when I look tired? In the third?
Q. At the end of the match.
RAFAEL NADAL: I am not agree with you. I agree with you and I am not agree with you. I agree with you that I played well for almost all during two sets, you think? In the third I didn't have a lot of chances to have breaks too? (Laughter.)
Because at the end ‑‑sport is like this, and at the end we cannot analyze all the things thinking two or three balls, because that will be not fair for me, for nobody.
At the end we have to analyze a little bit more overall, not think because I didn't have the break point he served an ace on the break point in the third, and in 30‑All he played some good forehands.
I was tired? I was not tired. I had more opportunities than him in the first, in the second, and in the third, too. That's the real thing about what happened during the match. The real thing is I am happy the way I played. I am happy the way that I competed today. I am happy the way that I stayed in a level during the whole match.
I am not happy that I lost. (Smiling.) That's it. No, no, at the end of the sport is win or lose, but today I lost against a great opponent who was fighting for every ball with very positive attitude. Feeling that I was there fighting for the victory against a top player again in a good surface for him is a big improve for me. I am not very sad. I'm not happy about the final result, but I am happy because, as I said before the tournament, I am much closer than one month and a half of what I want to be.
I had a lot of chances to win today. Maybe I should win. (Smiling.)
Q. What are the greatest regrets on this match? What are the things you think you could have done differently?
RAFAEL NADAL: That return on the, I don't know, 10‑9, big mistake with the second‑serve return. That's the only thing that I can say to myself during the whole match.
So maybe with more victories on my shoulders, without being outside of the competition for several months, maybe I will win that match because I will not play the return like this.
But is normal that you are a little bit more nervous in that moment than usual. It's true that I didn't compete at that level of intensity mentally in tennis for a long time. I didn't play the match with that positive energy and that attitude since almost eight, nine months.
So is a long time. That's a big improve for me. I was able to be there very focused, playing with positive energy for three hours, so that's great news for me, because that's the way I competed during all of my career.
Today I did. In this tournament I did much better than in the previous tournaments. So I am leaving Indian Wells with the feeling that I had big chance to do more and with the feeling that I was ready to compete again well.
Hopefully that will help me for the future. I think match like this obviously is much better if you win, but even losing I think I'm 90% sure that will help me.
Q. You had talked the other day about the challenge of facing these big, big servers. Can you talk about the mental challenge of having to face a guy for three sets who is serving 140 miles an hour?
RAFAEL NADAL: I was there. I had a lot of opportunities, no? I think I returned well. Great. In three games of the second set I had chances to have the break. That's a lot of opportunities to play against a big opponent and big server like Raonic.
I did what I have to do; he saved that opportunity. I had the passing shot. I played close passing shot. Maybe it was the moment to do it down the line, the banana, but was not the case. I thought that he will cover that part of the court and I went for the other one. A mistake or not? I don't know, you know.
We cannot analyze‑‑ as I said, the first answer, no, we cannot analyze match or that in just a few things. That's what happens against these kind of players.
In general, I played aggressive. I played with determination, with the right attitude, I think, playing good tennis.
I lost, and I feel that I had a lot of chances to win. Let's keep working that way. As I say since the first week of the season, is a process that I had to pass, and I am doing the normal process.
The positive thing is during that process sometimes with losses like I had few times in the last couple of weeks maybe you are going down, but is not my case. I think every week I am better. Every week I am more competitive. Every week I feel stronger, quicker on court again. My movements are good again.
My focus on the match is becoming better every match. Today I was able to compete against a top player without a feeling that he was better than me. So that's a big improve.
Against Berdych in Australia I played that match and I didn't compete. Today against a very tough opponent, a very uncomfortable opponent, I created a lot of chances.
Q. You spoke the other day about the conditions. How was it today to manage the shape of your shots and the thin air and the court speed? How was that for you today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is difficult to say something because I felt I was there. The conditions were good. Is true that playing in the night things are a little bit easier on the return, on playing the points, because the ball become a little bit slower, so is easy to have more control of the point from the baseline.
But I don't have the luck today. I played during the day. That's it.
Q. You said obviously you're disappointed at losing, but was it also a frustrating match to play?
RAFAEL NADAL: Frustrating? No. I enjoyed the match. I enjoyed on court. I enjoyed suffering his serve. I enjoyed trying to be very focused with my serve all the time. I think I did well. I enjoying the fact that I felt well with myself on court again.
So I felt competitive. I felt strong, with the right energy.
No, no, I lost that match thinking much more positive things than negative ones.
Q. You played well; you played well the whole tournament. Can you talk a little bit about Milos' level? Can you talk about his level to beat you? How good is his level? Is he ready to make that step where he can compete with you and the other three big players consistently?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I think we'll see at the end of the year, because is obvious that with that serve, at one match you can beat against everybody serving like this, no?
It's obvious Milos going on court can win against every player of the tour, because with that serve, if he serves well you know that you gonna be in the tiebreak, probably.
So those are the things that are deciding in just a few balls. So let's see. Let's see. He's young. It's the normal thing, normal process. He will keep going up on the ranking and will be more consistent.
Q. What are your thoughts about Milos playing tomorrow against Roger?
RAFAEL NADAL: I saw Roger playing very well today. The difference on that match is even if I only lost one serve during the whole match and didn't have a lot of opportunities to have, he didn't have a lot of opportunities to have break on my serve.
Bigger difference with Roger, especially in that surface, is he has a great serve, too. The opponent feels that, you know. Milos felt that can attack sometimes with my serve. Against Roger, he probably will not have that chance, because Roger is serving well.
The feeling, you know, comparing the two players, is Roger probably will have the same chances of returning serve than Milos.
Q. When you go into a tiebreaker with someone with a serve so big, do you ever doubt yourself at the start of the tiebreak?
RAFAEL NADAL: Doubt?
Q. Doubts.
RAFAEL NADAL: I have doubt in the locker room before I start a match, so... (Laughter.)
You can imagine if I have doubt playing a tiebreak, no? It's obvious that I have that doubt.
No, no, when you go to a tiebreak I have a doubt against every player. Imagine against a big server like Milos. No, it's obvious everybody have doubts.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
BNP PARIBAS OPEN
March 19, 2015
Rafael Nadal
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA
R. NADAL/G. Simon
6‑2, 6‑4
6‑2, 6‑4
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You have a great run in the tournament so far. Can you talk about the way you're playing and how you're feeling out here at Indian Wells this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think last couple of weeks I felt that I was playing better. In Rio de Janeiro is true I lost a match I didn't have to lose, but I was not playing bad.
In Buenos Aires I played some good matches. That's important for me. Here I think I played very good first match, then the second round was tough yesterday. I feel that I did what I have to do to win, but could play better than what I did.
Today I think I played a solid match against a tough opponent like Simon that is not easy tactically how to play. Tactically I think I played a very positive match.
In general, I played solid. Only two bad games with my serve I played bad. Made few mistakes, especially with the 1‑0; and then 5‑2, 30‑Love, 30‑15, one mistake, unbelievable mistake.
But for the rest I played solid. I played with not many matches waiting for the opportunity to go for the point, and I went for the point when I had to do it. Happy the way I played. It was an important victory for me, for sure.
Q. When you win a first set and you go down 2‑Love beginning of the second set, is your mindset, I've got to get after him right here? I've got to turn this around right here? Is that the whole important turning point of that match?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, obviously when he has a break, 2‑love, then is a big change if you are able to have the break back, because 2‑1 is a big different than 3‑Love, no?
3‑Love you see the set ‑‑ you lost half of the set like this. (Snapping fingers.) Lucky I played a good few points in that game to have the break back. Is true that he make an important double point on break point.
I was there mentally waiting for the opportunity. The good thing is after playing a bad game with my serve I was able to be completely focused and mentally ready to be back and ready for the next game.
Q. And when you do that, do you see him let down? You come back 2‑2, 3‑2, do you see him let down mentally? Do you feel it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no, I don't feel it. I play point by point. I know I need to be ready for everything.
He's a player that is tough, because sometimes you feel that you have the match under control, but, you know, he's able to be back. He's able to play very well in defending positions. And then from defending position, he's able to come back and have the control of the point.
He's not an easy opponent. He's a tough one. He started the season well. He's No. 10 in the race, 11. Is a good victory for me.
Q. The conditions were different today than yesterday. How does that affect the way you played?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, the conditions were much slower today. The other day the ball make big change with the weather conditions. Ball today was softer, bigger.
The whole day yesterday was very small and very hard. No control. Today you have more control of the ball.
Q. How hard is to your body is to play singles and one hour later return to the court to play doubles?
RAFAEL NADAL: Then I don't play tomorrow, so is something that I'm not doing very often, you know. In this tournament only happen today, and is something that I should be ready for it. (Smiling.)
Q. You have always credited yourself on pretty high first‑serve percentage. Today your first serve was up 126, 127 miles an hour. Were you trying to get a little bit more?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, we are working to try to serve a little bit better, trying to serve a little bit bigger. Always the serve, if you are not Raonic, Karlovic, Isner, these kind of players, Federer, these kind of players that has the serve.
The serve is one of the most important things of the game. The serve is a part of the confidence too. When you are relaxed, when you play with that confidence, the serve goes better.
Q. Speaking of him, you've got Raonic next. Your thoughts on his serve and his game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, obviously he's an opponent that you don't want to play against because he's an opponent that you play under a lot of pressure everything, every point. You know, every point has a lot of value. You cannot lose your concentration in no one moment with your serve.
You know, what happened today with my serve twice cannot happen next day if I want to have any chance. And then the return is very difficult to have points, no? Then he's able to play very aggressive from the baseline.
So will be a very tough match. I know that. I know I need to be at my 100% to have any chance, and that I gonna try.
Q. What is your thought on Wayne Odesnik and his 15‑year suspension?
RAFAEL NADAL: 15 years suspension?
Q. 15 years for his second doping violation.
RAFAEL NADAL: When he had a second doping violation?
Q. Today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Today?
Q. Just how that maybe tries to clean up the sport.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, if somebody is not doing the right thing, he's obviously ‑‑they cannot be playing, you know. I didn't have enough information to have an opinion of that. I really don't know about him, so it's difficult to say one or another thing.
But obviously when that happens twice, you don't deserve to be on the tour.
Q. You're saying two matches today, singles, doubles; tomorrow you've got the day off. What sort of things do you do on your day off?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe I gonna ‑‑well, I gonna practice, for sure. I gonna practice for a while and try to keep working well on the things that I am working, and maybe I gonna play some golf tomorrow.
It's a day off. Is a good day to relax and to have fun. Weather here is normally great. I don't know if it's rain tomorrow or not, but probably not.
If rain here, the rain is not very often. Just try to be with calm with the team, enjoying the day. It's always very important this tournament that if you are not losing early, because if you lose early, as I did last year, then is big period of time between here and Miami that you get tired without being on competition, no?
It's important to keep winning matches.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
Unfortunately Team Busta/Nadal where defeated by Bolelli/Fognini in the qtrfinal, 6/1 3/6 10/4
| Carreno Busta/Nadal | Bolelli/Fognini |
| Service Statistics | ||
| Aces | 1 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 2 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 68% | 73% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 22/34 (65%) | 26/37 (70%) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 8/16 (50%) | 9/14 (64%) |
| Break Points Saved | 2/4 (50%) | 2/3 (67%) |
| Service Games Played | 8 | 8 |
| Return Statistics | ||
| 1st Return Points Won | 11/37 (30%) | 12/34 (35%) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 5/14 (36%) | 8/16 (50%) |
| Break Points Won | 1/3 (33%) | 2/4 (50%) |
| Return Games Played | 8 | 8 |
| Points Statistics | ||
| Total Service Points Won | 30/50 (60%) | 35/51 (69%) |
| Total Return Points Won | 16/51 (31%) | 20/50 (40%) |
| Total Points Won | 46/101 (46%) | 55/101 (54%) |
3
| |
R. Nadal
|
6
|
6
|
-
|
4th Round
|
13
| |
G. Simon
|
2
|
4
|
-
|
Completed
|
| Gilles Simon | Rafael Nadal |
| Service Statistics | ||
| Aces | 5 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 4 | 0 |
| 1st Serve % | 48% | 70% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 16/29 (55%) | 24/33 (73%) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 15/32 (47%) | 8/14 (57%) |
| Break Points Saved | 6/11 (55%) | 2/4 (50%) |
| Service Games Played | 9 | 9 |
| Return Statistics | ||
| 1st Return Points Won | 9/33 (27%) | 13/29 (45%) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 6/14 (43%) | 17/32 (53%) |
| Break Points Won | 2/4 (50%) | 5/11 (45%) |
| Return Games Played | 9 | 9 |
| Points Statistics | ||
| Total Service Points Won | 31/61 (51%) | 32/47 (68%) |
| Total Return Points Won | 15/47 (32%) | 30/61 (49%) |
| Total Points Won | 46/108 (43%) | 62/108 (57%) |
BNP PARIBAS OPENMarch 17, 2015
Rafael Nadal
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA
R. NADAL/D. Young
6‑4, 6‑2
6‑4, 6‑2
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You spoke about the conditions on the court. What was affecting you out there?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, the conditions are very changing during the day, and during the night here is big difference. For me it was the first day I was able to play a match during the day, so the ball was much weaker.
With a normal ball during day and night there is differences, but with that ball is completely dramatic how the things change, no? That ball don't have feelings. During the day especially the ball is very, like you are touching a stone. There is no feeling for the ball.
I see a lot of player having a lot of mistakes from a lot, you know, mistakes not just for a while, just for one meter or two meters, and that's not good for our sport.
But that's what we have today. We have that ball. I think ATP and fans deserve a better ball to have a better show.
But I am playing well. I'm practicing very well every day. Playing good match the other night. Today I play with a little bit more mistakes, but having the feeling that I am able to do it well.
I feel confident that I am playing much better than one month and a half ago. I feel closer to be what I am, what I want to be, and it's a positive victory for me, another victory. Every victory is important victory for me. Already six matches in a row winning, and that's a good number.
I am confident, and I hope that tomorrow I can play a good match.
Q. Considering the fact that you lost last year in this round, does it give you a sense of relief making it through this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Last year is 2014; we are in 2015. We cannot think about what happened last year in every round and in every tournament. Every year is different.
For me that tournament is a tournament that in the past was very positive for me. I played a lot of good tournaments here, good results, a lot of times in advancing rounds.
I like playing here. I love the players. I love the organization. I love the fans here. I feel very comfortable, no?
I happy to be in the fourth round. Fourth? Yeah. Third for me, fourth for the tournament. That's positive news for me, winning two matches. Tomorrow I have a tough match against Simon. He's tough a good player. He started playing the season well.
He's a player that gives you a little bit more rhythm than Donald Young. Donald Young played very aggressive today with strange mistakes, winners, so was not easy to manage how to play really the match.
I was able to find solutions. It's true that I had few mistakes with my serve. But then with positive attitude in the next game, I was able to have breaks, too.
Q. Do you prefer the drier conditions here? Can you give a comparison with Melbourne and here related to fatigue, cramping?
RAFAEL NADAL: Obviously the dry conditions, even if it's warm, are better for playing tennis and for the health of the players are better. Extreme conditions are obviously not ideal to practice high intensity of sport or professional sport.
Rio was very hard this year. Last year was positive. Was hard, but not that hard. This year was amazing, the humidity.
Here always is a little bit warmer here than a few years ago. I think this year during the night normally is colder here, and this year I feel that is not cold.
But the conditions here to play tennis, for me, is difficult to find a place with better conditions.
Q. Gilles hasn't won against you, Djokovic, or Federer since 2008. Do you think he's more dangerous than five or six years ago?
RAFAEL NADAL: He won against Andy Murray, no, few times ago? He had good start of the year, I think. He had good result in indoor, too. In where? Marseilles. He won?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: He won the tournament? Yeah. Was tough final against Monfils, no? I don't really remember who won.
But he is playing well. He had a good beginning of the season. Is true he had some problem in his neck last couple of years, no? He had some injuries there.
So he's playing with injuries, with pain, with no continuity is very difficult for everybody. He's healthy now. He's playing well. He's a very dangerous player.
Q. Issues with the balls on the tour are not new. Is there anything players can do about it, or just accept and deal with it?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think the players said what they have to say. Is not new. Something that happens since a while. I didn't understand very well, because the brand that is making that ball they say now is a new ball, but still bad and I don't understand why.
Because if it's a new brand creating new ball, you can understand that they make not a bad ball. But the same brand five years ago had a great ball, very good ball. Is difficult to understand why today they are not able to do it.
Q. A few nights ago you came off the practice court and you were talking with some people in the field. There were hundreds of people in the dark waiting for you to come and screaming your name. I was wondering, at what point in your life, in your career, did you realize, This is normal for me? I'm standing here having a conversation and everybody is screaming, Rafa, Rafa? And also, when you go over to sign, is it difficult to make a decision, knowing that it will take a long time or that no matter how many things you sign there will still be people who don't get signatures? Talk to me about that a little.
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, when I can, before the days that I am not playing, I trying to sign as much as I can.
I remember the previous day before, before I start the singles, I practiced 6:00 to 8:15. I stayed for 20 minutes signing as many people as possible for me no?
Is true that is not possible to make everybody happy, but what is in my hands is try to make as many possible people and ‑ especially the kids ‑ happy, no?
Because I understand an autograph or photograph is much more important for a kid than for other persons, no?
So I try to do my best. Never will be normal for me when the people are screaming my name. I know is a situation that happened for a while since I started to be a good player, probably, since 2004, but especially after 2005.
I know that's for a couple of years. I know that's not gonna happen in ten years. So just accept that in a special situation, trying to enjoy as much as I can of that situation, try to say thanks everybody for the love and for the support that they give me.
Is a special thing, I think. Is a thing that not a lot of people have the chance to enjoy or live that situation, and I always appreciate so much the support and the love of the people, all the positive energy that the people brings me.
Helps me a lot on the low moments, on the bad moments. That's it. I try to be normal, try to understand that's gonna change in a couple of years and try to be very, very normal during all my life.
Q. As you know, everybody no doubt knows you are a Real Madrid fan. After four days there is a El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. What can you tell me about this game and your expectation for this soccer game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, as always, is an important match and especially with the situation that both teams are right there with one‑point difference. Will be a very important three points for Real or Barcelona. Is true the dynamics are a little bit better from Barcelona, but is true that Real Madrid has a great team.
I think they arrive to that match with a little bit less pressure, because the last couple of results haven't been perfect for my team. But let's see, you know. Barcelona is doing great. He has amazing players, great team, playing at home. Barcelona is favorite.
But as a Real Madrid fan, I am always confident that my team will play a great match and have a chance for the three points and be in the first position again.
Q. How is it today playing a left hander, playing another left hander particularly in these conditions, because Donald is lefty?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, as I said before, it is a little bit strange because there is not two points equal. One point he played with mistake and another point he played a great winner. Then he was serving serve and volley and then he played slower, so was not a very logical match.
But I did what I had to do to be through. Winning in straight sets, I'm happy with that situation. I need to serve a little bit better tomorrow as I did the first day. Let's try.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
