A transcript of the presser Rafael Nadal gave after his win over Benoit Paire in Toronto, 6-2, 6-3.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Last couple years you’ve come into this tournament after an early loss at Wimbledon but this year you had your best run there in a long time. Is that giving you more confidence coming into the hard court season?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the thing is there is two things to see it, no? If you lose a little bit early in Wimbledon, so you take the days off before and you have more time to practice for the hard court season. And if you play a good Wimbledon, then you have less time to prepare the hard court season.
Anyway, you need some period off after, you know, probably the toughest period of the year for me, mentally and physically.
But, yes, of course it’s better to play a good Wimbledon than a bad Wimbledon. It doesn’t matter you have little bit less preparation, no?
But I feel that of course I was not at my 100% today. But at the same time it’s true that it’s impossible, no? After a while, you need matches. It’s true that I did good work here the last five days, but at the same time it’s true that I didn’t work very hard at home. I just did the basics to come back to the competition.
So first match is important. It’s important victory for me, for my confidence. It’s important that I have another match tomorrow too. So just try to keep going.
And, you know, I think I played a solid match. It’s true that with myself in the second set I had some troubles, but my return worked well. And it was not about the serve. It was more about the mistakes from the baseline in my opinion.
Q. You’ve talked before about in previous years about transitioning to hard courts and how you need to come into the court quickly and take over the points, control points. Is it becoming easier now that you’ve had this many years on tour to make the transition? And also can you talk about some of the tricks you use on hard courts versus the other surfaces at Wimbledon? You talked about how drop shots are quite effective on the grass court.
RAFAEL NADAL: Drop shots are effective in all the surfaces if you did it in the right moment, if you do it in the right moment.
In general terms, what is important is don’t be very — (asks the english translation of a word).
Q. Predictable.
RAFAEL NADAL: Exactly. She needs to keep improving the English like me. (Laughter.)
Yeah, it’s important to be a little bit unpredictable, especially on grass and on all the surfaces, no? But on clay, if you are predictable but you do the right shot, you know, is still tough for the opponent to take advantage, no?
Here it’s important to be on the rhythm. It’s important to play matches. It’s not about tricks. It’s about to play well. These tournaments are so hard. Since the beginning you play against the top 50 players. So it’s a big test from the real first round, no?
So that’s all. You need to be ready. And today I found a way to be through, and let’s try again tomorrow.
Q. You just mentioned that you felt you weren’t 100% today and in your postgame interview you said in the beginning of tournaments are always difficult. Was that you not feeling 100% today, was that because it was the beginning of a tournament and what do you think you need to do for your next match to improve?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, sorry. You know, as I said before, my English is probably not perfect. And when I say I don’t feel myself 100%, I say that I didn’t play fantastic match, but I didn’t play a bad match, no? I played a solid match. Normal to be the first round, being honest.
And especially, you know, it’s not the same play the first round after playing tournaments in a row. For example, for me, it’s not the same play in Rome after playing Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, and that first match in Monte Carlo and Davis Cup when I played the first match this year, no?
And here, you know, I don’t play a singles match on hard court since Australia. So is a long time. And that’s it. You need time.
And the victories of course helps and good to work on the practice for sure, no? But even if you have a good work on the practice, you need matches to get that percentage that you need.
Q. You once said before that playing a doubles match before your singles match is fantastic practice for you.
RAFAEL NADAL: What?
Q. That when you played doubles as well as singles —
RAFAEL NADAL: In the past.
Q. Yes, in the past. When you played a doubles match, it was great practice for you to set you up for your singles. What helps you decide if you’re going to play doubles since you’re not playing doubles here in Toronto and you have in the past?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, the age. (Laughing.) That’s all.
No, is all about the safe a little bit the body. I know I would love to play some doubles before the singles, especially in that situation that I was not able to play matches in the while.
But that’s thinking probably about this tournament. And at this stage of my career, I cannot only think in one event. I just to be confident with myself that I going to be able to be competitive.
It’s true that the last couple of years I felt myself competitive if I practiced well even without playing matches before. And I have the confidence that I can keep doing this, no?
And so at some point I need to save some energy for this last part of the season. So it’s here, Cincinnati, and then New York, and then keep going hopefully, no?
So I need to be focused on what I have to do.
Q. We’re still not sure who your opponent is going to be tomorrow night but it could be Stan Wawrinka. If it is Stan, usually you guys play each other really late in tournaments. What would it be like to play him early in a tournament like this?
RAFAEL NADAL: That’s part of our sport, no?
Having one year ranking when you have an injury and then you go back on the rankings, so that’s normal, no? And that’s why this kind of meeting is always a very tough opponent. And it’s a match that we played, you know, two times in a Grand Slam final.
So, yeah, it’s going to be an important and tough match hopefully for both of us.
Vamos Rafa <3
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) 🙂 TWO SETS AND A BEAUTIFUL SPUNKY FINISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL SENIOR CHAMP NADAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU PLAYED GREAT SOLID TENNIS AND YOU ARE SO GOOD AT TIE BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY YOUR WIN AND HAVE A LOVELY EVENING AND A BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU COMING BACK AND SO STRONG AND DECISIVE AND COMMANDING…..KUDOS DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GOOD NIGHT AND SWEET DREAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX KEEP SMILING SWEETHEART! : )
PRECIOUS RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WI…….WI………WI…….GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Rafa all the best in your game against Stan,
Love and prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
CI……CI……CI……1ST SET GREAT LEAD SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) 🙂 : )
THERE IS SO MUCH THAT WE APPRECIATE IN YOUR GENIUS TENNIS SWEETHEART AND IT IS SO DELIGHTFUL TO SEE YOU MOVE ON THE COURT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THE CUTEST FACIAL EXPRESSIONS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SO FOCUSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
IT IS WHAT IT IS…. HAVE FUN AT THE LOCKER ROOM SWEETHEART…….AND ENJOY YOUR FEISTY BEAUTIFUL PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE GLIDING AND SLIDING AND PLAYING BRILLIANT HARD COURT MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) MANY GORGEOUS RETURNS….AND SO BRILLIANTLY QUICK AT THE NET …..ENJOY EVERYTHING SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) RAIN WILL END SOON……. HEARD TODAY ABOUT THE YOUNG GENIUS GOAL KEEPER THAT SIGNED UP FOR A BRITISH TEAM ( I THINK CHELSEA) FOR 80 MILLION DOLLARS……AND I LIKE HIS ATTITUDE WHEN HE HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE SAYING HE WILL DO HIS BEST FOR THE TEAM WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT BEING THE HIGHEST PAID GOAL KEEPER ETC…… JUST DOING HIS BEST…..HE SOUNDS HUMBLE AND MODEST JUST LIKE YOU….. WE WISH HIM GOOD LUCK AT ENGLAND!
HAVE A NICE RAIN BREAK SWEETHEART AND SEE YOU IN A BIT…..: ) VAMOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : 0 VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
SWISS SEEMS OUT OF SHAPE, ALREADY TIRED 1ST SET….. ……SITTING DOWN MIKING THE RAIN BREAK,,,,,,
LOVE THE WAY YOU PLAY DER RAFA…..KEEP GOING…… GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU MOVE FAST….MAGICAL AT THE NET….SERVE BEAUTIFULLY….AND MANAGE TO KEEP YOUR GORGEOUS SPORTSMANSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
BEAUTIFUL…..LEADING 6:5…………………………… YOU ARE FUN TO WATCH SWEETHEART AND THIS IS AMAZING ……………………. YOU HOLD YOUR SERVE SO BEAUTIFULLY…………..GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SIDE TO SIDE SEND HIM TO THE CLEANERS : )
LOVE YOU SWEETHEART FOR THE TIGER YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
THAT’S WHAT I CALL GOAT OF ALL GOATS ALSO KNOWN AS CHAMPION SENIOR RAFA NADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU RAFA NADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY EVERYTHING SWEETHEART AND KNOW WE ARE WITH YOU ENJOYING EACH POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THIS UMPIRE’S VOICE SOUNDS AS HE HAS PERPETUAL COLD ….. UNPLEASANT LOUD VOICE…..BUT HEY YOUR PRECIOUS BLESSED COURT PRESENCE SWEETHEART MAKES IT ALL WORTH VIEWING …..
GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
MY HERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) 40:40!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
IT IS K SWEETHEART….NO BIG DEAL…..IGNORE EVERYTHING AND KEEP GOING YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
THE ON SCREEN REPLAY SHOWED YOUR POINT WAS IN…..AND IT WAS CALLED OUT…..FROM THE PC SCREEN IT WAS ALSO OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS IN…..PLEASE USE YOUR CHALLENGES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) .
RAFA YOU JUST HAD A GOOD POINT AND THEY CALLED IT OUT FROM 15:15 TO 30:15 FOR W………SO THE CROWD LOUDLY POINTED IT OUT AND THE UMPIRE TOLD THEM TO KEEP THEIR VOICES DOWN……WHAT A TRUE LOOSER UMPIRE…. NOT ONLY HE IS NOT DOING HIS JOB MAKING SURE RIGHT CALLS ARE MADE , BUT WHEN THE CROWD OBVIOUSLY SAW IT, HE REPRESSES THEIR TRUE CALL….BIG LOOSER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) DISLIKE THE WAY HE ANNOUNCES SCORES….BUT SINCE I LOVE HEARING YOU BREATH DEAR RAFA DO NOT MUTE…..BUT SERIOUSLY….TOO MANY POOR UMPIRES MAKE FOR A LOUSY MATCH FOR FANS AND PLAYERS ALIKE….
GPO RAFA GO…..YOU ARE SUCH A BLESSING……NONE OF THIS TOUCHES YOU THANKFULLY…..BUT FOR US FANS IT IS BOTHERSOME TO WITNESS SUCH POOR UMPIRES WHO ARE LOUSY AND LOUSY AND LITTLE INTEGRITY AND ZERO FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GREAT …..WELL AIMED SERVE SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
WHO GETS THE HANDSOME UMPIRES?????????????? YOU KNOW ……THE ONES THAT SOUND GREAT ……AND CORDIAL FUN…. AND ATTRACTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
HERE WE GO…..ACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) RAFA NADAL YOU ARE BRILLIANT OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA & VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : 0 : ) : ) ; ); ); ) ; ) : ): ) GOOD EVENING! : ) HAVE A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT & LOT OF FUN PLAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) IT WILL BE A GREAT MATCH FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ): ) ; ) ; ) : ) : ) CI…….CI……..CI……… & WI…….WI………WI………SEND HIM SIDE TO SIDE AND RUNNING FOR RETURNS……. : ) WE LOVE YOU DEAR RAFA AND VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Great to see you maintain a sense of humour in these pressers. All the best in the match against Stan.🍀💕