Watch as Rafael Nadal reflects on his semi-final victory over Karen Khachanov at the Rogers Cup in Toronto.
Transcript of Rafa’s presser after the Khachanov match.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You’re in the final now. Have you made a decision on Cincinnati yet, whether you go for sure or will you rethink it because you need some rest before the US Open?
RAFAEL NADAL: It’s not moment to talk about that. It’s a moment to be happy because have been a great week until that moment.
Tomorrow is an important match. But anyway, and I think I am happy tomorrow that I am satisfied with the week, no? Arriving here for me it was difficult to imagine that I going to be in the final one week and a half after, no?
So great news. Happy about everything. Of course I can play little bit better, but that’s the work of every day. And all the matches helps to improve my game, and I believe that I can do it.
I did a lot of things well in the whole season. Tomorrow is a day to play a great match against a very tough opponent. And I hope to be ready for it.
Q. Two more tight sets tonight. What kind of challenges was Karen throwing at you and how did you overcome them?
RAFAEL NADAL: He’s a great server. Big shot from the baseline. He has especially great backhand and he can hit the forehand very strong too.
It’s true with the forehand sometimes he have mistakes too, but he plays very aggressive and he hit the ball very strong, no?
I need to resist and play aggressive. When I was able to move him, I think I was a little bit more on the control. But it’s difficult to make that happen because he hit the ball very strong.
Q. Tomorrow what aspect of Stefanos’ play will be most challenging for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: He’s a complex player. He has everything. He’s young. Has passion for the game. He has a great forehand, great backhand, good serve. So he’s not about one thing. He’s about everything.
These kind of matches you need to play very well to win, and that’s what I’m going to try.
Q. When you played your first Rogers Cup final in 2005, you were about 20 years old against veteran Andre Agassi. Tomorrow the roles have sort of changed. You’re the veteran player coming up with this younger player, this NextGen player. What do you make of these young guys coming up, your impression of this NextGen, and how does it feel to be on the other side now as the veteran in the equation?
RAFAEL NADAL: It feels better when you are younger. But no complaints. Since 2005, I never imagine that I am going to have this kind of career that I am having.
Yeah, tomorrow it’s the opposite thing. Hopefully the final result will not be the same than in 2005 in terms of the younger wins. But anyway, is good to be in his position, but at the same time it’s good to be in my position, no?
After all the good things that I am doing during the whole season and be able to be in another final, great news.
And is a match that I know is not a pressure match. It’s a match that you — everything is to win. The week is good already, especially the way that I arrived here. But anyway, the week always going to be good when you end the final of Master 1000 that 19 of top 20 players are here.
So that’s it. Is a day to play aggressive, to play with the right determination and try to win.
Q. First set tie-breaker you seemed to elevate your game a little bit more. What was going through your mind to try to take that set?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t know. I needed to don’t have mistakes on the tie-break to take it, and I think I did well. I played a solid tie-break.
I know the first set will have a very important impact on the match, especially if I win it, and that’s what happened in the second.
I think I had — I don’t remember that I had a break point against in the second. And I had some opportunities on my return, on his serve, no?
So, yeah, been a positive second set for me.
Q. So you have won 79 times on the ATP tour. What would it mean to you to get No. 80 and to do it here in Toronto?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, if that happens it will be fantastic. It’s another Masters 1000. But still a lot of work to do. But if that happens, yeah, going to be great news of course.
Canada is a tournament that I — Canada, Montreal, Toronto, it’s a tournament that I play well a lot of times in my career. And it’s a very important result for me to be back here where I am.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
One way traffic so far. Tsisipas isn’t able to hurt Rafa and I think he’s learning that Rafa isn’t like all the other top ten guys he’s beaten in this tournament – he’s much more of a challenge!
One can feel the kid has so much respect for Rafa! And why not. No one can beat our hero when he plays like this. Vamos💪💪💪
Great first set, Rafa! Not so easy, is it, Tsitsipas?
Great first set Rafa, don’t know why the other seeds found Tsitsipas so hard to play , why you are dismantling him in front of my eyes, but maybe it says more about how great you are Rafa than them. Keep it up champ
Great first set. Vamos Rafa <3
Boom! First set to Rafa. Candy from a baby. More of the same Rafa, world #1! Don’t want no surprises.
Get it done champ!
WI……WI…..WI……VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU WON THE FIRST SET WITH YOUR SOLID MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KEEP GOING SWEETHEART & ENJOY LOTS OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Wow Rafa! 💪💪💪
OH FORGOT DIAN K SOMETHING TOO….ALL SO OBVIOUS AND OBNOXIOUS…..SHOW RESPECT AND PRETEND YOU ARE INTELLIGENT….FOR RAFA’S SAKE
Onwards and upwards .There is only one RAFA.You can do it VAMOS!🎾🇪🇸👍🏼
THE SAME PERSON HERE IS WRITING UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES ,,,,MARIA, ELIZABETH…MARGO ETC…..AND OFFERING NEGATIVE IDIOTIC VIBES…..GROW UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THIS IS A FAN SITE AND IF YOU ARE WRITING KEEPING THIS SITE LIVE…..BETTER NOT INSULT TRUE FANS OR ELSE YOU WOULD BE WRITING ALL THE MESSAGES YOURS ELF…AS YOU MOSTLY DO ANYWAY…..
GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BEAUTIFULLY LEADING 4:1 1ST SET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
NICE BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) FEISTY AND LEADING 2:1……..VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
IT IS OK SWEETHEART….HIS SERVE BALL TO 40:40 WAS IN……GOOD YOU DIDN’T CHALLENGE…: ) WE LOVE YOU YOU ARE SO GORGEOUS OUT THERE PLAYING YOUR MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) OUR PRECIOUS SENIOR CHAMP RAFA NADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Congratulations to Simone who has taken the title, now it’s your turn Rafa , Let the Number one seeds shine bright tonight🌟
OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA OLA & VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
: ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) GREAT STRIDE MAKING ANOTHER FINAL…..CONGRATULATIONS SWEETHEART & HAVE LOTS OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) HAVE A BEAUTIFUL TIME PLAYING AND A GREAT AFTERNOON ENJOYING EVERYTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) IT WILL BE A GREAT MATCH FOR YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) 🙂 🙂 🙂 : ) : ) CI…….CI…….CI……..VERY HAPPY FOR YOU SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY YOUR BEAUTIFUL TENNIS & WE WILL BE ENJOYING EACH POINT YOU PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) 🙂 : ) ; ) SENDING LOTS OF LOVE & HAPPINESS & VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ): ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE LOVE YOU DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX KEEP SMILING! : )
Vamos Rafa !!!
Good luck tonight Rafa and Simone Halep and hopefully the 2018 French Open champions will reign supreme and both be winners of the Roger’s Cup.
c’est toi le meilleur champion du MONDE AVEC TON TALENT TA MODESTIE ET TA GENTILLESSE LÉGENDAIRE VAMOS RAFA
One more step in the journey Rafa, All good wishes champion