Photo: Christopher Levy



SONY OPEN TENNIS
March 30, 2014
Rafael Nadal
MIAMI, FLORIDA



N. DJOKOVIC/R. Nadal
6‑3, 6‑3


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you ever feel like you were able to sink your teeth into the match, get into the match, or Novak just seemed to like keep you at a distance most of the day?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, just first few games I was there. I had the break point, and I played a few games and a few points with right way, with right intensity.
But for the rest, easy to analyze. The opponent was better than me. That's it.
No, some matches, are, you know, more difficult to say. This one was not that difficult in general. He was better than me in everything.
So just congratulate him. That's it. I gonna keep working hard to try to be at very high level for next time.

Q. Is your health good today? Were you fine, 100%, physically fine today?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I am fine. Thank you.

Q. He was able to open up your backhand side on quite a few points there. Did you feel it was overplayed too much to your forehand?

RAFAEL NADAL: I feel that I didn't move as well as I do normally. You know, I feel that he was having too much success with every shot, you know. I mean, he was able to find the right spot, the right position that was able to be in negative positions too early in the point.
Today I felt that he played great, but I feel that he doesn't need to hit a great shot to be an advantage on the point.
So playing against him is the worst thing that can happen for me, because in general, talking about the first two shots, he has a better return than my one, he has a better serve than my one in this surface, especially.
And the things that I can be same level than him or better than him is when the point, when the rally is going and when the point is becoming intense, and I was able to hit maybe with a little bit high intensity sometime as I did last year in the US Open or in Canada.
Was not that day, you know. On the rally points I feel I was in tough conditions, in negative conditions, and this is impossible to play against him when you have that feeling.

Q. What kind of mood do you leave here? Do you feel like you played well this week except for today? Is it encouraging or are you a little disappointed?

RAFAEL NADAL: Having a great start of the season for me, always the final of Australian Open change a little bit everything. But for the rest, knowing that after Australia I had my problem in the back for a while, and I played Rio with not my 100% conditions, and I arrived Indian Wells so‑so because I didn't serve for a long time before Indian Wells, so in general I arrived ‑‑I did a good start of the season, no? Winning two tournaments, playing Grand Slam final, Masters 1000 final.
Is great I am in the top of the race arriving to the clay court season. That's positive for me, but at the end now we start the clay court season, and I need to be my 100% to make a little bit the difference there, no, to try to be aggressive, to try to move myself very well on clay, and to try to find the best feeling possible as soon as possible.

Q. Is the back still a problem at all?

RAFAEL NADAL: No. I am fine. Thank you very much.

Q. You have never won the Sony Open where you have a lot of fans. Do you feel you have a mental pressure to win these tournaments?

RAFAEL NADAL: No.

Q. A mental block to actually win it?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think so, no, no. After a lot of years playing on the tour, you know, I say the other day is true that Miami is a great city, is true that I feel the love of the people. Especially the Latin crowd always was very important for me, and just thanks to them for everything.
But Miami is the same level as Indian Wells, same level as Cincinnati, Toronto, Monte‑Carlo, Rome, Madrid. The quality of the tournament is Masters 1000 that I won 26, so I cannot have a block on that, mental block on that (smiling).
Maybe you tell me another kind of thing maybe, but mental block on something you won 26 times is not the thing that I have to worry about Miami. Need to find another excuses. (Laughter).

Q. When you look at your overall record here, does the achievement of making the final four times overshadow any frustration about losing four finals?

RAFAEL NADAL: I did the final every three years since I start my career, 2005, 2008, 2011, and '14. Is good news that I am having a very long career (smiling).
But is maybe, if I am able to play the finals before, then in three years I will have more chances because seems like every three years not the right spot to win the tournament if I am in the final, no.
No, no frustration. That's tennis. That's the sport. Sometimes, you know, just accept the challenge that means play in the best tournaments of the world, play against the best players of the world. Today Novak played at very high level in my opinion and was better than me.
I tried everything. I tried my best. Was not enough. The opponent was just better than me, and when the opponent is better, he's better. That's the sport.
I need to work hard, to try to be in better shape for clay. By the way, is a positive week for me after everything. As I said the other day, losing early in Indian Wells and be able to play the final here, I had a lot of points for me, a few good matches, confidence again to start the very important part of the season for me.
So I come back to Majorka after this tournament with the feeling that I was here before the tournament and I am here after the tournament (indicating higher level with hands). So that's a positive thing.

Q. You like challenges, you said many times. Are you glad Novak exists?

RAFAEL NADAL: No (laughter). I like challenges, but I am not stupid. (Smiling and shrugging).

Q. Are you eager to get home?

RAFAEL NADAL: I am...

Q. Eager?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I have been for a long time away. I have been in Australia for, well, between Abu Dhabi, Doha, and, yeah, Australia for one month and something, and now almost two months away.
Not yet. I am not yet able to come back to Majorca, remain a few more days, and I gonna be back on Thursday. I have to work a few things in Spain before.

Q. What do you most miss from home?

RAFAEL NADAL: Family, especially all the friends, cousins, more cousins that I have. You know, I am not able to see them very, very often, and I have a lot now, and they are very funny at that age that they are between seven, eight, 14 years old, 13 years old. Well, I have few ones, two more at 16. But between that age they are very funny.
And all the time that you miss in that moments with them, you know, they are growing. So I miss them a lot, and for sure, dad, mom, sister.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Rafael Nadal

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

SONY OPEN TENNIS

March 28, 2014
Rafael Nadal

Video: SonyOpenTennis

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I would think you have never heard of anything like this before, both semifinals having been canceled?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. It's very unlucky, very unusual for something that can happen. Sorry for Kei, sorry for Tomas, and sorry for the tournament, especially sorry for the fans.

Q. When did you find out about his withdrawal? It seemed like you were working really hard in practice, maybe a little bit more than normal. Did you find out before?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no. I practiced for almost one hour, 50‑something, 55. Is nothing strange on my warmups. Sometimes I practice a lot.
No, I didn't know nothing. I know that just after, when I was back in the locker room, you know, one hour before the match.

Q. Have you ever seen thisbefore in your career, two semifinals canceled? Do you remember it happening?

RAFAEL NADAL: I cannot remember that, yeah.

Q. And can you also tell me, your matchup with Djokovic a few years ago, I think he beat you seven times in a row, all finals. You really turned it around, like five out of six. Can you tell what do you think the difference was? Was it a matter of health or you changed something?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, not health. I was healthy in 2011. I lost all the finals because Novak was in better shape than me, was better player than me during this period of time.
Is true that I had chances in here, Miami. I lost 7‑6 in the third. I had 6‑5, 15‑30, and at Indian Wells I was set up. Then I lost in two sets in Madrid and Rome, and then Wimbledon four and US Open four. And then I lost the seventh in Australia. Very long match.
It's nothing that ‑‑I don't want to forget these things. It's something that that was a tough year, but at the same time, a good year because I played a lot of finals. I was able to win Roland Garros too that year.
And that seven straight loss probably motivates me to find solutions, to play more aggressive, to try to be better player again.
So that's all. Is nothing very strange to lose against Novak a lot of times because he's an unbelievable player (smiling).

Q. Speaking about Novak, can you look ahead to playing him in the final? What are your thoughts?

RAFAEL NADAL: My thoughts are always the same. Only chance to win against Novak is play to the limit, play my best, and wait that he not gonna have his best day.
I will see. I know I have to be solid with my serve. I need to play aggressive, no doubt about that.
That's it. We are playing in a court that today probably is his favorite court. That's hard. He arrives to the final with goods confidence after winning in Indian Wells.
So that's fine. For me is very important result to be in the final of Miami, too, after Indian Wells be able to win the final and compete for the title in the tournament that I have a lot of friends, a lot of Latin crowd that support me a lot every day, and that's very important for me.
To be in the final already are 600 points that for me, at this part of the season, are very important.

Q. What are you happiest with in your game going into this final?

RAFAEL NADAL: I played well the first three matches, and I think I finished yesterday the match playing much better again.
You know, the match after tomorrow is a little bit. You know, you have to be at your 100%. The adrenaline have to be very, very high to play a little bit over your regular level.
You're waiting also the inspiration of that matches that helps you to bring your level a little bit higher.
But in general, I think I played more solid than what I did in Indian Wells and Rio, and I played with better movements, too. I lost my serve only one time during the whole tournament, and that's very important for me on this surface; in any surface, but in this surface, too. And in Rio and Indian Wells I lost the serve every, every day.

Q. Sometimes players, when they get out of the rhythm of the tournament, when they miss a match and have to wait a couple of days and go back in, it throws them off. Do you see this, as missing a match today, is that going to happen to you?

RAFAEL NADAL: I cannot predict the future, no. But if you play the match of today you never know if you will be playing on Sunday.

Q. So you don't think it's going to disturb you in any way?

RAFAEL NADAL: I think if I don't play well on Sunday, not going to be because I didn't play today.

Q. You practiced with a local kid, Stefan Kozlov, today. He's the No. 2 junior in the world. Can you tell us how it happened and what you think of this kid out there, this young man?

RAFAEL NADAL: He's great. I saw him play in Australia on the TV. He has very quick hands, powerful shots, flat shots.
He's very young. He's 16 already. He already played the final of Australian Open.
Is important, in my opinion, kids like him, that he's very good, start changing a little bit the mind, and my feeling is is important that that juniors players starts to compete with the professional players. Not here, because you don't have the ranking. But he has in the Futures.
My feeling is when I was at that age, 15, 14, I already played in the Futures, and that helps me to be better earlier. So if you keep playing juniors, you know, at the end, you keep competing against guys that you normally will be able to win playing one way, but when you are playing Futures, probably you are playing against sometimes worse players, but at the same time, these worse players are able to put one more ball in, so they push you to do different things.
That's one of the, I mean, in my opinion, one of the reasons why the players are starting the professional careers later today.

Q. How hungry are you to get your first win in Miami? How much do you want this first win here in Miami?

RAFAEL NADAL: I want to win every week (smiling). But I'm not gonna win every week. That's the real thing.
No, when I go on court, when I start in the tournament, I always have the motivation, the passion, and the love for tournament that I'm playing. If it's 250, doesn't matter if it's 500, 1000 or Grand Slam.
So for me, going on court and trying my best, don't make any difference if it's one tournament or another one.
For sure, Miami is a very important tournament that I never had the chance to win in the past. Is my fourth final, by the way. It's positive results. To be able to play four finals in one tournament is because you did well, and I gonna try to be ready for Sunday.
But you never know. You know, always the opponent is not the best opponent to play in a final of Miami (smiling).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Photos: Photo Andrea Yanez via http://deportetotalusa.net/

SONY OPEN TENNIS
March 27, 2014
Rafael Nadal

MIAMI, FLORIDA

R. NADAL/M. Raonic
4‑6, 6‑2, 6‑4


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It must feel good getting through that kind of guy who gives you trouble with big serves.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. Thank you very much. It's a very important victory for me. Very hard to play against these kind of players, and especially when the match didn't start the way that you would like, because if I convert one of the opportunities that I had in that first set on the return, the match change completely, no? Because you are able to have the break, you play with more calm, play more aggressive.
But when you start losing opportunities, you feel that you gonna be in trouble, because one game he gonna play aggressive and you will be in his hands, and the next thing is that game arrived, and I had two double faults, important mistakes in that 5‑4.
Then I was lucky at the beginning of the second set I started with a break and was very important for me. I felt that I finished the match playing better.
I think I started the match playing okay, playing well but not playing well the break points, and then at the 2‑3 for him I think I started to play much better.

Q. Milos said you had a strategic and mental disposition better than he did. Did you feel that way?

RAFAEL NADAL: Very difficult to analyze that when the match decides on a few balls.
So today I won. He could won, too. So that's my feeling, you know. Then when you are playing these kind of matches against a player like Milos, that he's able to serve this way, anything can happen when you are in the third set.
So happened that the match was for me and very happy for that. For me to be in semifinals after early losing Indian Wells is very important for the confidence, very important because there is good points for me, too.
You know, from Indian Wells, Miami, until end of Roland Garros is very important part of the season for me.
This result is important, because the difference between quarterfinals and semifinals is a lot, and tomorrow I have another day to try to keep playing better.

Q. Milos, his serve, how tough is his serve to return? Is it the toughest on tour?

RAFAEL NADAL: I cannot say the toughest, because he's one of the toughest, sure. Isner is there, Karlovic is there.
When you're playing these kind of matches, you play under pressure. The good thing that Milos did today is he played better from the baseline than what he did, for example, two days ago. I saw his match on TV, and he was having much more mistakes than what he did today.
When you feel that the opponent has the serve that he has and he's able to play well from the baseline, playing some good rallies and going for the point with his forehand, so then you are in big trouble.
Q. Do you enjoy that challenge playing against players with a big serve like that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Not much (smiling).

Q. I was wondering, do you think getting a little more time in Miami to prepare for the conditions here has helped you this week?

RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't have a lot of time in Miami. I had less than almost everybody, because I stayed in Indian Wells until Sunday, I went to Portland on Monday. I arrived here on Tuesday. So not more than nobody.
That didn't help me. Would be much better if I played well at Indian Wells, had good result, and I arrive here with better confidence.
But that's past. Good thing is I am in semifinals now. I played four good matches, four good wins against not one easy opponent, and few matches playing very well.
Tomorrow I have very tough match against Berdych. He started the season very well, having very good results, and will be very tough opponent to beat.

Q. You have beaten Tomas I think 16 times in a row. Why does your game work so well against him? What do you like against his game that fits into yours?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I feel that I played very good against him a lot of times the last couple of years. I never lost against Wawrinka before that final in Australia and I lost that final. So that's just statistics.
Tomorrow is a match against one of the players that he is in better shape on tour today and one of the best players of the world. Only way to win is play my best tennis, and that's why I was able to beat him in the past, because I was playing very well against him.

Q. When a guy is playing the way he was early on and you missed a few chances, do you find yourself struggling with yourself to be patient, telling yourself, Well, the guy's gonna have to give me an opening sooner or later? Is that a difficult thing to manage mentally?

RAFAEL NADAL: Can you repeat?

Q. Do you find yourself struggling with yourself to be patient and calm down, telling yourself that you probably will get chances? Do you have this discussion with yourself as it's going on?

RAFAEL NADAL: In these kind of matches?

Q. Yeah.

RAFAEL NADAL: No, normally I manage well. I am a very focused player normally, and I'm able to be focused and to play every point with the right concentration, knowing that every point has value.
At the end, the important thing is be solid with my serve in these kind of matches. Normally I will have some chances on the return, as I had today in the first set, but I didn't convert it.
So important thing is be solid with my serve, and if I am, I just need to be patient and wait for my chance. I know that and play with the right decision, right opportunity.
Good thing of today, I lost once my serve and then not one more. And is true that my serve didn't work very well tonight. At the end of the first set I start to serve much better, but is true that the conditions from the practice I played this afternoon I practiced great, probably one of the best days, than the conditions that I found out tonight on court was completely different, was much colder, a lot of wind. During the day it was not windy, so it was a lot of wind tonight.
The feeling on the ball was much slower. So I felt that the ball stays on my strings much more time that what used to do this afternoon on my practice.
So is sometimes interesting how match can change the feeling with a few hours. Here especially.

Q. Just wondering how you decided to take your shirt off on court after every match, because no other players do that.

RAFAEL NADAL: What? Sorry?

Q. To take your shirt off after every match on the court, because no other players do that.

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't want to get cold (smiling). That's the reason.
No, maybe the other players are not sweating as much as I do, so I cannot stay during all the interviews, everything, having sign autograph for the fans for ten minutes or that with the same T shirt. I going to get cold. I try to dry myself and put a jacket on. Yeah.

Q. We have watched so many of your matches over the years. Kind of an obvious question: Why do you stand back so far? Is it vision, technique on your shots?

RAFAEL NADAL: Today?

Q. Just in general.

RAFAEL NADAL: No, not always. Depends on the feeling, depends on the opponent. Depends on my feeling of that day.
You know, I feel like here the ball is able to bounce. But is true that during evening conditions, night conditions today, with that cold, the ball bounces much less and was more difficult with that wind to play the ball longer and higher.
I thought that playing from long space behind the baseline I would have the chance to put more balls inside. I know in theory when the ball, you know, if I am able to return the serve and put the ball inside, then the advantage is for me most of the times.

Q. Are you ever concerned when you do that that you're going to give away that tight angle too much?

RAFAEL NADAL: Is a risk, but in the end normally I have a good powerful backhand from the back. I am able to hit a good backhand from there.
But is true that it's not the ideal thing for me, no? I would love to play a little bit more inside, and if you see the few previous matches against players that didn't serve that well, I was not that far. I was closer to the baseline.
If I am able to return closer to the baseline, is much better, because at the end, you are in advantage because you're returning from that far is true that if you are not hitting very return, the opponent has a lot of time to watch the ball, come, and try to go for the winner.
But today was a special opponent with an unbelievable serve and with the game from the baseline that normally I have to be better than him, so I tried to use that strategy.
Maybe wrong for a while sometimes. Because on the break points I feel I was not able to ‑‑I played some break points with second serve that I was not able to push him back. That's was my goal, and most of the time, even with the second serve, he was able to hit the first forehand with a good position, and that cannot happen.
But is true it was windy and cold and was not easy to find the control. And to play against these players when the conditions are like this is very tough, because you need to play with more precision, because then the good thing, when you play against these players, is if you are able to move them, they are so big, the movements are not the best thing, and I am very good on that.
So that's my advantage. Today was difficult to find that feeling with that wind.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) 

15 minutes of Highlights Nadal vs Raonic

Nadal vs Raonic, Miami 2014 (1/4 finale... by NadalPower

On Court Interview via ATPWorldTour

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Rafael Nadal defeats Milos Raonic

Photo via @deportetotalusa

SONY OPEN TENNIS
March 25, 2014
Rafael Nadal
MIAMI, FLORIDA

R. NADAL/F. Fognini
6‑2, 6‑2


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You'll need to get your ears fixed from all the noise on the court.

RAFAEL NADAL: First three matches I was able to find the right rhythm on court, playing aggressive, playing with no mistakes, so today was a little bit strange match.
I am sorry for Fabio. I think he felt a little bit, I don't know how to say, but he felt a little bit close to the hip, something from yesterday. So was not easy for him to play that match.
But anyway, I think I managed well the situation. The wind, it was hard tonight, and I was manage to do well. So I think I played the right match.

Q. With Fabio, the way he plays and he gets so animated, the arms and the racquets and all that, do you have to concentrate a little bit harder when you play somebody like him?

RAFAEL NADAL: As every day, you know, I have to try to find my rhythm, try to think about myself, what I have to do well, so I just try to be focused on what I really need to do to play well, no?
Then the opponent is free to do whatever. Tonight was not an easy match for him, for the conditions that I told you before.
So it was a little bit strange, but in general, I think I was very focused and solid with my serve. That's very important thing for me, my game, when I am playing on hard.

Q. Do you look ahead to playing Raonic in the next round?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, he's a very dangerous opponent, an opponent that you don't want to meet. His serve is huge, one of the best without any doubt, and he's able to play very aggressive on the return because he doesn't feel a lot of pressure on his return because he knows that he's very safe with his serve, no?
So I need to be very solid with my serve, very focused, try to move him around. That's the thing that I have to do, because he is able to play and in easy positions. His forehand is big, and it's true if I am able to move him then I can be a little bit an advantage.
Problem is sometimes it's very hard to move the opponent when the opponent wants to hit every ball hard, and especially when he starts the point with that serve.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Photo: Mike Ehrmann

Rafael Nadal def Fabio Fognini