Rafael Nadal Interview April 3
Miami, Fl., U.S.A.
24.02.2011
4‑6, 6‑3, 7‑6
An interview with:
RAFAEL NADAL
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Tough day for you. What do you think the turning point was in the match today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he's playing with confidence, that's for sure, no? Probably his best moment of his career. I think I didn't play as well as I did during a lot of moments of this tournament today.Q. A that what a impressing you most about Novak, a his mental strength? He might not have had it a few years ago but it's there now.
I was a little bit more tired than usual during the match, that's true. But in general, that's everything what I said is part of the game. So the sport is this. Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose.
Last two times myself, I had to lose. I had chances in both places. I think here was really close with the 6‑5, 15‑30. But, you know, when you play against one player like Nole, first thing, he's very good; second thing, he's playing with big confidence.
When you're winning, it's easier to keep winning ‑‑ or less difficult, no? So all these facts.
I probably didn't serve as well as I did during all the tournament. Well, I didn't serve as bad as I served in Indian Wells, but the thing is, my serve didn't help me today to start the points with a little bit of advantage.
I was there fighting until the last point. You know, nothing left in my body right now, so that's the sport. I love these kind of matches. For sure I love to win, not lose. (Smiling.)
But from everything you learn, I had a fantastic American hardcourt season, two finals, and ready for clay.
RAFAEL NADAL: He always was there. He's focused and confident and playing well. I wasn't that far, so that's true, no?Q. Looked near the end that he might be getting tired and he was looking at his box. Looked like he was ready to maybe go down a little bit, but he seemed to play very strong at the end. Were you surprised with that?
Well, what he's doing a unbelievable, winning four tournaments in a row, difficult ones, one Grand Slam, two Masters 1000, Dubai. So it's great. He's a great champion, and all the best for the rest of the season for him.
We'll see what's going on right now.
RAFAEL NADAL: No. He has a perfect performance physically, because when you play and you win one Grand Slam, one Masters 1000 last week, so he's in the perfect performance right now, no?Q. You seemed to have a lot of double faults today.
I think he's healthy. He can run to every ball. Seems like he's less tired than. Before when he runs a lot, he can play long points and still running. So he's good.
In general, the easiest thing to say a he's very good tennis player.
RAFAEL NADAL: How many?Q. Six or seven. Six.
RAFAEL NADAL: Too much, yeah. If it's one, it's too much.Q. What do you think a the reason that you weren't serving as well?
RAFAEL NADAL: I always say the same: If I know the reason, I never going to do it. That's part of the game. Maybe because I was a little bit more nervous than other days, second final, maybe because I never won here and this is the third chance.Q. Which was the harder match, last week or this?
I played against a player who's playing well, and I lost last week. All of these facts maybe can affect a little bit to be a little bit more nervous, and the serve is a little bit part of that.
In general, I think I didn't play as well as I did two days ago. I didn't play bad, that's true. I was close on probably his favorite surface and against the best Novak Djokovic.
RAFAEL NADAL: Physically this, for sure. I was very tired at the end. I think I played a little bit better the beginning of last week's final. But wasn't real for me because I didn't play well during all the tournament, so I wasn't ready to play all the match that level.Q. How far are you...
This week I was ready to play at my highest level because I played a very, very good tournament, playing better every day.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think was more difficult the match of today because I was closer to win. But was a little bit more difficult to accept maybe, because I was ready to win last week. I was there. Wasn't very far, but probably mentally or physically I wasn't enough ready well to beat Novak.Q. How far are you from where you want to be? I know you had a month that you couldn't practice or anything.
This time I was ready to win. I didn't play perfect, so I lost.
RAFAEL NADAL: I am not that far. I am very close, no? I had a very good season, American season, probably the best one of my life here, in Indian Wells and Miami, having two finals. It's true I won a few times in Indian Wells, but after I lost in quarterfinals in Miami.Q. Do you feel like he's breathing down your neck to be No. 1?
So both times I lost in quarterfinals, I think. One time against Novak and one time against Del Potro. This time I was very solid. Indian Wells I was very far from where I want to be. And where I want to be, you never know where is the top.
I am happy. Important thing is be happy how you are playing, be comfortable when you go on court. That's what I feel right now. Every day when I go on court, I think I played solid, aggressive with the forehand. Today remain few aspects to win this kind of match against Novak. That's work to improve that for Monte‑Carlo.
RAFAEL NADAL: No.Q. Did you feel like in the clay court season you can separate like you have in the past?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think he's going to be No. 1. I don't feel he's breathing on my neck. I don't know what's the expression in English. The thing is, that's part of sport. We will see at the end of the season who's No. 1, who's No. 2, and who's No. 20.Q. At the end of the first set, at 5‑2 when you came up to serve for the set, you went for the ice scarf. You used it, and at the end you were bending over. Were you feeling as if were going to pass out? Have you had any type of treatment since the end of the match?
That's tennis. For me, be No. 1 is a goal, but not. That's always difficult to say, because you are No. 1 or you are not No. 1. It's difficult for me to say my goal is be No. 1. My goal is be competitive in every tournament. If I do that, I going to have my chance to be No. 1.
He won two tournaments in a row right now, very big tournaments and one Grand Slam. Normal thing is he will be No. 1 in the next month, month and a half, two months. I don't know. Depends on my results on clay.
For sure he will be there, no? I going to fight for me. If I am solid, if I play a very good clay court season, we will see what's going on after.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, was very hot outside. Can you see? You was there? (Laughter.)Q. I was in the shade.
RAFAEL NADAL: You were in the shade, yeah, so you wasn't there. So that's what happened. Was very, very hot outside there today. I sweat crazy, like ten T‑shirts today. So I was very tired at the end. Seriously, very tired.Q. This time last year when you were sitting there having not won this tournament, you then won Monte‑Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Paris, Wimbledon. So you must take some comfort in that. Your favorite surface is about to happen.
One of those kind of matches, it's better to finish as soon as possible, because I was very, very tired at the end. But I was there fighting until the last point, because I felt if I am tired, the other one must be tired, too. The hot and the sun is for both of us.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, that's one time in life win every tournament on clay. Nobody does in the history, only myself last year. So it's difficult to imagine two years in a row can repeat that.Q. That was part of my question, too. You've been to the finals here a few times. How tough it was to lose this match today?
For me, seriously happy about how I'm playing, happy about my level of this tournament. Normally when I play well on clay I have a little bit more advantage, so let's see what's going on week in Monte‑Carlo.
I'm going to prepare. I'm going to start to practice on clay. You know, always the adaptation after almost ten months without play on clay is hard the first days, so we will see.
Hopefully I going to be playing well this tournament. This is important confidence for me. That's all, no? Let's try my best in Monte‑Carlo. First tournament of clay is always important.
But it's not going to be perfect. Remain a lot. I don't going to win ten times in a row Monte‑Carlo. That's sure. No, I won six in a row. I going to try my best for the seventh, but know how difficult is every tournament.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, wasn't very lucky weekend for me, no? I think I was very close in 2005; I was very close today. I'll try next year. That's what I can say. I didn't feel sad. No, I feel okay.FastScripts by ASAP Sports
I think I try my best and it's not big disappointment, no? Some tournaments I arrive one time and you win. This tournament, three times, three loses.
So if we see my record on finals, normally I have a very positive record winning finals. This tournament breaks a lot this positive record for me, no? So let's try next years. I don't know. I love this tournament. I love to play. So when you play three finals, you can win. We'll see.
Video:
- Highlights Nadal vs Federer SF Miami 2011
- Hot Shots Nadal vs Federer SF Miami 2011
- TennisTV-Post SF interview (oncourt)
- Tio Toni Moment
- Spanish news
- Longer Spanish News
- Audio only of quarterfinal presser
- Audio of Semifinal presser
- Last 15 minutes of Semifinal
- TennisTV Final Preview
Articles:
- A Touch of Pity
- Nadal Tops Federer To Set Djokovic Final
- Nadal crushes Federer to reach Miami final
- Miami Masters - Nadal downs Federer to move into final
- Nadal convincingly wins over Federer and plays the final against Djokovic
- Nadal routs Federer, gets another shot at Djokovic
March 31, 2011
Rafael Nadal
MIAMI, FLORIDA
R. NADAL/T. Berdych
6-2, 3-6, 6-3
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. How pivotal was the first game in the final set when you were down Love-40?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, was very, very important for me, because the dynamic of that moment was bad for me. Save that game with three serves was like a big comeback.
You know, when you are playing final set against a big server like Tomas, it's very important to be focus all the time with your serve. If you lose your serve, the opponent gets a lot of confidence, and it's very, very difficult to come back. So was very, very important.
I think after that game my serve worked really well in all the third set. I didn't have a chance before with the return because he was serving fantastic, I think. I was with positive attitude in the third set at the end, so when I you had the chance, I converted. So it was very important.
Q. We know you try not think about these things, but there's been so much talk about you meeting Roger here, and it's been six years since you played in the States. Was that hard to keep out of your mind? Were you able to keep it out of your mind?
RAFAEL NADAL: During the match today?
Q. Yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL: No. Today? No. For sure no. For me, every day is completely different, no? I am focused about the quarterfinals match. I don't think about semifinals before quarterfinals. I know I play against No. 6, of the world, No. 7, I don't know, it's going to be a really difficult match.
I think I started the match playing fantastic. I think I played at my highest level the first set. Very happy about how I was playing. I don't know what happened at the end of the first set. I had a little bit of bad movement with the right arm and some nerve hurts and I started to feel something here (pointing to outside of arm into neck) and Tomas started to play better.
I think always is a little bit like this. When I had few mistakes I started to play with less rhythm. When he had the chance to go inside, to attack, and he did well. I think I lost a little bit of intensity.
Q. How much concern is there about your arm for tomorrow night?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, hopefully nothing. I think is nothing important for sure, no? (Through translation.) I felt like the nerve was inflamed so he felt like it was a little bit heavy like in this area and he got dizziness.
Q. Feels okay now?
RAFAEL NADAL: So-so. You know, I did a little bit of treatment now after the match, and I going to do it more tonight when I arrive to the hotel. For sure it's nothing important. The most important thing is the right arm, so when it happen new, it's something if you don't know what's going on you lose the concentration thinking about the arm.
But happen tomorrow it's not going to be nothing new. Going to be easier to manage the situation. So I am sure that the arm is not going to affect the match.
Q. Has it happened to you before? Is it the first time?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, first time in my life. Really strange. Especially since the left arm you can do aggressive movement or something, but the right was really strange. Seriously, I couldn't understand during the match what happened.
I was thinking too much about the arm, and I lost a little bit the concentration. For that reason, maybe I stopped to play -- stopped with the legs and...
Q. But you felt fine in the third set?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, but I forget about everything. I tried to don't think about nothing. It's too important for me every match. When you are in quarterfinals of one tournament like this, playing well like I was playing, lose is painful, no?
When you are playing bad and you are in quarterfinals and the opponent is playing better than you and you lose, you go home and you accept. But when you are playing well you have to win. I thought I had to win today, because at the beginning of the match I was playing at my highest level.
Play better than the first set today just few times in my life, no? I was playing pretty good, no, so I was very happy. Because every day during the tournament, during the two weeks, I was playing better and better.
Q. Is this a surface that fits perfectly with your game here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Here?
Q. Yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL: All the surface fits perfect with my game when I am playing good. (Laughter.) When I am playing bad, all the surface adapts very bad with my game. Everybody happen the same.
It's not like five or four years ago when I needed all the time a surface that the bounce gets higher. I think my game today is much better than before. I have a lot of options to do, and I think I am more complete player.
When I am playing well I can play well in all the surfaces. In indoor I had good results, and hardcourt for sure. And even at the US Open that I never played well, last year I played really good.
But normally Indian Wells and Miami, both are good hardcourt seasons for me. The surface works good for me for my game. Bounces are high and it's not too slow, so it's average court.
Because a lot of people think I am playing better when the court is very slow, and I don't think that. I think I'm playing better when the court is a little bit faster.
Q. Was it strange early in the third set when Berdych is playing really well, better than Nadal from the baseline, and Nadal is living with his serve and just surviving with that?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, my serve saved the match today. That's true. It's nothing usual for me the serve save me. But at the beginning of the set, that's the true, and that's a positive thing.
Probably four years ago that's never going to happen. Now is another chance. If you don't have this chance four years ago probably I would lose that match; today I didn't.
So that's always a personal satisfaction when you know your game is improved and there's for sure a lot of things to keep improving.
Q. The rivalry with Roger, which everyone has enjoyed so much, what has it meant to you in your career?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, it's special always to play against him and have these matches, for sure very important matches for both of us in our careers: finals of Roland Garros, finals of Wimbledon, of Australian Open, a lot of finals of Masters 1000s. So important matches for our careers, no?
So that makes our careers probably more special for both of us. Seriously, I think we always had the big respect for each other. We are closer than before, like friends, because we spend a lot of time together with exhibitions, with the council of the ATP.
We have a fantastic relationship, no? This rivalry, I think everybody looks at it like rivalry. For me, it's like really special thing when we play each other. When I go on court against him I feel it's a really special match, especially because we play always really important matches.
Tomorrow is a semifinals. Very few times we played in semifinals of one tournament. Only I think in two Masters Cups in Shanghai and one time here in 2004 second round, something like this.
The rest of the matches are finals and important for big titles. That makes the rivalry very, very special. I don't know if rivals in the rest of the history of tennis played a lot of the matches, as many matches as we played.
I don't know how many matches played McEnroe/Borg or Sampras/Agassi, but we played a lot a lot times. So that makes the match really special always.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
Rafael Nadal Interview April 1
Miami, Fl., U.S.A.
24.02.2011
R. NADAL/R. Federer
6 3, 6 2
An interview with:
RAFAEL NADAL
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Well played, Rafa. Even if he had taken that breakpoint at the start of the second set, did you still feel that you were in control of this match all the time?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. (Smiling.) You never know, no? Always if that happen, that's what happened and he didn't break me and I had the chance to keep playing well and to have the break at the next game, no?
If he had the break at the first game of the second set, you never know if he gets confidence, he start to play better, and you never know what's going on the rest of the match.
So that's not happen. I was lucky with the net and inside. So in general, I think I played a very, very good match, very solid and serious. First set especially I think I played very, very good.
Second set I think he played worse. He had more mistakes than usual. He tried to play shorter points, so I think second set he didn't play well.
First set I think was very good level of tennis.
Q. Did you feel immediately well on the court from the first point?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am feeling well every day, seriously. It's not like Indian Wells last week. I wasn't play well during almost all the tournament, no? Even the final, semifinal, I improved a little bit my level, seriously.
But the feeling when you come after playing a few bad matches, it's not easy to find the right performance or the right feeling, even if you are playing better, no, because the bad feeling is too close.
So this week didn't happen that. Playing the final even without play my best in Indian Wells was very important for my confidence, and I started this week playing much better, no? Since the first round I was playing I think very, very good.
I didn't have a good draw; last week I think I had a better draw than this week. This week I had a tough draw. In general, I think I played a very good week.
Now remains one match.
Q. Do you sense that he became discouraged pretty early in the match? Did you have any feeling about that looking across the net or the vibes you were getting?
RAFAEL NADAL: Wasn't easy for him tonight because he had the break in both sets very early, so that's tough. Because I was playing very good from the baseline, without mistakes with my forehand, playing aggressive, so wasn't an easy situation when you are back all the time in the score.
So, yeah, in the second set I felt he started to he wanted to play more aggressive, play shorter points, and probably he didn't have the perfect feeling to do this tonight.
Sometimes it works really good because he has fantastic forehand, fantastic volley, and his movements when plays inside the court a lot of times are unstoppable. Tonight he had few mistakes. I played long, so wasn't easy for him to go inside.
In general, that's always happen, no, when one play very good and the other one don't play perfect. It's always same. Sometimes, you know, when both players play at higher level, always matches are very emotional and very nice, no?
But that's happen very few times, because both players must feel perfect to play both at very highest level, no? Because if one is playing really well, the other one, it's tough to play at highest level. The same happen again.
Q. Talk about Novak.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, he's winning very easy all the matches. He don't to lose a match this year, so we'll see is what's going on. He's playing fantastic. I just can congratulate him about what he did the first three months of the season. It's fantastic.
We'll see what's going on, no? I felt I had a chance last week in Indian Wells. I lost a little bit the focus and the rhythm on the second set, the intensity of the legs and of the shots, so I started to play a little bit more defensive. Against one player like Novak, is impossible win the match play like this, no?
So on Sunday have to play very well all the match if I want to have any chance. I have to play aggressive and I have to play all the points, and that's what I going to try.
Q. Do you like this court better, the speed?
RAFAEL NADAL: Than Indian Wells? No. I like play better. Always is the same, no? I love every surface when I am playing well; when I am playing bad, I don't like no one surface.
Indian Wells is a fantastic surface for me. I played six semifinals in a row, I think, and two champions, one final. Here I never won, so I can't say it's better surface here than Indian Wells. For me both are good. We'll see.
Q. We saw a couple years ago at Wimbledon you had the bandages on the knees. You look healthy now and very fast on the court. What's the key for your fitness as far as getting rid of the knee problems?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is no one key and no secrets. Always is the same: work hard. Sometimes you are lucky and sometimes you are not lucky. I wasn't lucky in the beginning of the season. I am healthy now, but I had a problem in Australia and I had a virus in Doha, Qatar earlier in the season.
That's part of sport. Sometimes you are feeling good and sometimes you are not feeling that good. You have to accept both things, because that's part of the game.
Right now the important thing I came back after not easy start of the season, because I felt before Australia I was feeling perfect, playing very, very well.
For different things, I didn't have the results that I thought I going to have the chance to do, no? So wasn't easy for me to accept I didn't play the last rounds of the first tournaments of the season, because I felt I was ready to do it.
But I came back, and this is the second final in a row, so that's fantastic comeback. I'm very happy right now. We'll see what's going on in this final. I'm very happy about everything.
Q. Can you remember anything of your 2004 match against Roger here? You beat him 6 3, 6 3; you were 18. Can you remember anything about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I was 17.
Q. 17, okay.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. Sure I can remember, no? Was my best level since that movement. He didn't play well. I don't know, he had something, virus or something I heard.
But for me was unbelievable, that match. Very emotional. Finally, I won, so... I never going to forget that match.
At that point was nothing, but if you see after seven or eight years how many important matches we played against each other, was a fantastic start.
Q. Yesterday you had a shoulder issue. Is that resolved, because you served really well tonight?
RAFAEL NADAL: The serve?
Q. You had a shoulder problem against Berdych.
RAFAEL NADAL: It was the right. Doesn't affect on the serve.
Q. Just in general is it okay?
RAFAEL NADAL: In general it's not perfect, but doesn't affect to my game. I feel some nerve, but that's not going to affect to my game. Affected it a little bit yesterday because it's something new and I didn't know the situation at that point in the match.
I say yesterday in the press I know what happened, and if it going to happen tomorrow, don't going to affect about my concentration, about nothing.
I am lucky it's the right arm, so...
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
Rafa Nadal defeated No. 7 seed Tomas Berdych 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open Thursday night.
Nadal and Federer have met just twice before in the United States, with those meetings also coming in Miami. Then just 17, Nadal stunned Federer in straight sets in the third round in 2004 before Federer had his revenge in the final one year later, when the Swiss rallied from two sets down to win the first of his two Sony Ericsson Opens.
“I didn't have a chance before with the return because he was serving fantastic,” reflected Nadal after getting past Berdych. “I had a positive attitude in the third set at the end, so when I had the chance, I converted. It was very important.”
“My serve saved the match today. That's true,” Nadal said. “It's unusual for my serve to save me. But at the beginning of the set, that's [what happened] and that's a positive thing.”
“First time in my life [I felt something like this]… really strange. Especially since the left arm I could do aggressive movements, but the right was really strange. Seriously, I couldn't understand during the match what happened.”
Nadal’s victory also pits the Spaniard and Federer against each other in the semi-final stage of a regulation draw for the first time since the 2005 French Open, when Nadal defeated the Swiss in four sets en route to his first major title.
“Very few times we’ve played in the semi-finals of a tournament. The rest of the matches are finals and important for big titles,” said Nadal.
Receiving a medical timeout to address the injury, Nadal continued to grind through the rest of the encounter before coming away with his ninth straight victory over the Czech.
“I think is nothing important for sure, no? I felt like the nerve was inflamed so he felt like it was a little bit heavy like in this area and he got dizziness,” said Nadal.
“You know, I did a little bit of treatment now after the match, and I going to do it more tonight when I arrive to the hotel. For sure it’s nothing important. The most important thing is the right arm, so when it happen new, it’s something if you don’t know what’s going on you lose the concentration thinking about the arm.
“But happen tomorrow it’s not going to be nothing new. Going to be easier to manage the situation. So I am sure that the arm is not going to affect the match.
Having never had this sort of an injury on Tour, Nadal confessed that he was initially worried about the outcome.
“I was thinking too much about the arm, and I lost a little bit the concentration. For that reason, maybe I stopped to play – stopped with the legs and…”
- Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer advance
- Rafa, Roger to renew rivalry in Key Biscayne semis
- Star-Spangled Blockbuster: Nadal vs. Federer
- Nadal Addresses Shoulder Injury in Miami
- Semifinal Preview: Nadal and Federer Discuss Miami Match Up
- FEDERER, NADAL REFLECT ON “SPECIAL RIVALRY”
- Nadal and Federer, Stage III
Rafa Nadal vs Roger Federer HEAD2HEAD
SONY ERICSSON OPEN DAILY ORDER OF PLAY
Download/Print Order Of Play
ORDER OF PLAY - FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011
STADIUM start 1:00 pm[14] M Fish (USA) vs [2] N Djokovic (SRB) - ATP
[8] M Martinez Sanchez (ESP) / A Medina Garrigues (ESP) vs [3] L Huber (USA) / N Petrova (RUS) - WTA
Not Before 7:00 PM
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [3] R Federer (SUI) - ATP
D Hantuchova (SVK) / A Radwanska (POL) vs S Peer (ISR) / S Peng (CHN) - WTA
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [3] R Federer (SUI) - ATP
D Hantuchova (SVK) / A Radwanska (POL) vs S Peer (ISR) / S Peng (CHN) - WTA
Can be viewed on online streaming at espn360.com
CBS will be airing the semifinal & final ATP matches
CBS Sports | Times | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, April 2 | 12:30 pm - 3 pm | Live |
| Sunday, April 3 | 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm | Live |
Interview:
SET2
SET3
Rafa updates his facebook with a photo of him at DB Bistro in Miami & he's practicing at 4pm today so don't miss it guys!
Anoche fui a cenar al DB Bistro en el Hotel JW BEaux Arts en Miami. Nos trataron muy bien y conocimos al chef al finalizar la cena.
We went last night to the DB Bistro at the JW MBeaux Arts hotel in Miami Downtown. They treated us very well and the food was great.
Hola a todos. Ayer muy buen partido y muy contento. El dia fue largo por la lluvia Hoy dia de relax y entrenamiento por la tarde a las 4.
Hi all. Great match last night and very happy. It was a long day because of the rain. Today a relaxed day and practice this afternoon at 4pm.
Today at 4:00pm
Sony Ericsson Open. Court ?
Rafa Nadal defeats. Alex Dolgopolov in 58 minutes 6-1 6-2.. He plays Tomas Berdych next in the Quarterfinals !! Vamos Campeon!
Photos
Post Match Interview (tennistv)
Nadal Sends Title Warning in Miami
Hot Shot
Stats:
Press Conference
Rafael Nadal Interview March 29
Miami, Fl., U.S.A.
24.02.2011
R. NADAL/A. Dolgopolov
6 1, 6 2
An interview with:
RAFAEL NADAL
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. The weather today, did that cause you any disruptions, or just you know what you have to do in those sort of situations?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, you know, be calm and wait. That's all. Nothing else. You can't do a lot of things in days like today. Relax in the players' lounge, be with the friends. That's it.
It's nothing new. It's something that happen a lot of times in the tennis.
Q. Playing Alexandr today, did you feel that he was maybe a little bit tired having to finish off against Tsonga today?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know if he was tired or not, but you can ask him, I think. But maybe is possible, no? But I think when we play matches, five set matches in Grand Slam is more than what he had.
So I think probably is not easy play end of the match and after start of the match. That's sure. But that's part of the game, no? It happen to me a few times, and I think in general I played at very good level, no?
Probably he had more mistakes than usual, but I don't know if because he was little bit tired or not.
Q. Did you find the conditions heavy because of the rain from earlier on?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, heavy, very humid. That's why I am sweating a lot.
Q. What about playing Tomas in the next round?
RAFAEL NADAL: Difficult match always, no? We know each other. We played a lot of times, and I know just play my best tennis I gonna have chances against him, no?
He can play very, very good, and I have to play very solid all the time with my serve and wait a chance on the return.
Q. One question about being an ambassador for Bacardi. I was just wondering, was that a difficult decision, seeing that alcohol and sponsorship for alcohol might be a little strange for some people? Or was it more you saw the good it can do with the company?
RAFAEL NADAL: Did you see the campaign?
Q. Yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL: So, I mean, I am not presenting alcohol party, you know. It's a responsible campaign, a social campaign.
Anyway, I think alcohol is inside our lives, so is nothing new, no? But the campaign is not against alcohol but about be responsible when you go out.
So wasn't difficult decision, because I think is very important social campaign, and I believe in this campaign. So it was a very easy decision, because I think is very good thing to do for Bacardi.
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