Courtesy: Freedom Tennis
Q. I guess of course you’re disappointed. What maybe are you regretting the most about this final in two days? How have you lived with this tension?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, this has been a strange final with delays and conditions and two days’ length of match. I’m just happy to be in this position, you know, to be playing finals at Roland Garros.
I could easily have lost the match in fourth round or even more against Tsonga, but I managed to come to the finals for the first time in my career. I should be happy about that, of course. I will be and I am, but in this moment I am disappointed about this loss because I thought I started to play better in the third set and felt like I could take this match to a fifth set, and then, you know, everything could be possible, but, yeah, unfortunately there has been a rain delay yesterday when I started to feel really good on the court.
But look, you know, I don’t want to find an excuse in that, because the first rain delay maybe helped me a little bit; the second helped him.
So that’s the way it goes, and the better player won today. So congratulations for that.
Q. Just to take you back to last night, did you think that the conditions, when you went off, were any worse than the conditions when you actually resumed?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, they were really bad, the conditions yesterday, because it was raining for a while, but, you know, going back now, it’s really hard to say and to put a ‑‑ you know, there are decision‑makers, and there are people who know what is good for players and what is not good for players.
Of course we were all communicating in the locker rooms with the ITF and ATP officials and tournament organizers in order to come up with the best decision, and I was ready to continue on and play last night. I thought around 8:00 the rain stopped, but they decided to stop because the weather conditions were not good and the court was not in a good condition.
So I was okay with that. You know, I am not putting a blame on anybody. No, no, look, you know, I’m not going back and saying, Okay, it’s your fault, your fault, because I lost.
It’s unfortunate, because I think I was playing better and I was feeling really well on the court. Today he started off really strong. I started a bit slower. It was a little bit unfortunate in that first game, and things turned around.
Q. Regardless of the outcome, what could you say about the quality of tennis you played the last two days? Is it probably some of the best you played this tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, for sure, you know. First two sets I was serving really bad, and I think I allowed him to put a lot of pressure on my serves and made a lot of breaks.
After that, I started serving better and I was in the court, and, you know, I was playing really aggressive.
Finally I felt, you know, great on the court.
You know, we almost played four hours. I thought we played a fantastic match where people hopefully enjoyed yesterday and today, and I was even surprised with the number of people who attended this match today. It was a working day, but it was still a full stadium.
It’s beautiful, you know. These matches make you feel like all the work that you put into it is worth ‑‑ you know, you’re living for this moment to play finals of any Grand Slam, and sometimes you win; sometimes you lose.
I lost this time. But I believe that there are still many years to come, and hopefully I can come back stronger.
Q. You have been chasing the dream of the Novak Slam, and I know that you said that it’s been in your mind but not in the front of your mind all year. Do you think that the disappointment that’s now gone for a little while will affect you now for the next few days?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Disappointment is there because I lost the match. You know, I lost the finals. Yes, there was obviously opportunity to make a history, as well.
But it was not a primary thought in my mind, so right now I am still under impression of the match, so I have now a week off. Then I’m going to go to practice on grass before Wimbledon.
Q. I have two questions. First one is you played much better always in this tournament in like the second half of the match against Seppi, Tsonga and even the final. So starting from zero today, how long did you make your warmup before, and was it a problem for you, the fact that the second half was that now the beginning of the match? And the second question is do you think that you won the hearts of the French crowd with this final more than ever?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I understood the first question, you are questioning my warmup, if it’s good enough or…
Q. You always play better…
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I understand what you’re saying. You are saying that I’m not warming up well?
Q. (Off microphone.)
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I warm up very long, trust me. I’m warming up very long, and we are taking care of the routine that I have, so maybe it happened now, but usually I am always aware and ready for the start of the match, okay.
Maybe it happened that a couple of matches I started worse than I’ve played in the second part, but okay, you know, I cannot get into the details now.
But regarding the French crowd, I hope I did, you know. I thought I had lots of support, and I’m very thankful for that. You know, in these matches, when you’re playing top player, somebody that is recognized all over the world, you know, a true champion, Nadal and Federer and all these guys have so much fans and so much support, and to be able to have, when I play against them, this much support, is really something, you know. I appreciate that.
Q. I know it’s very early to look back on stuff, but it’s the only chance we’ve got to ask you. How much of a factor going through this tournament was the four Grand Slams in a row, and did that affect you moving through the rounds?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It didn’t. It really didn’t. I mean, I was excited about this opportunity. Nothing more than that, really.
Q. Were you at all distracted by what appeared to be a noise from the crowd before that last serve?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: There was a lot of noises between the serves throughout the whole match, so I can’t really ‑‑ no, I wasn’t.
Q. What can you say about Rafa? Still you feel like the best clay‑court player in the history of tennis? Do you recognize him like still is big, big rivalry between him and you in the coming years?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he’s definitely best player in history, I mean, on this surface, and results are showing that he’s one of the best‑ever players that played this game. I mean, he’s only 26 years old.
We are very young, and we played over 30 times against each other, and hopefully we can have many more battles in the next years.
Q. This is obviously the fourth Grand Slam that you have played against him in the final. Do you think it’s good for tennis that you two are so dominant at the biggest tournaments?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think so. I believe so. I mean, obviously Federer and Nadal have still, I think, the biggest rivalry in the sport, I mean, because they have been at the top for so many years, they have been so dominant. I mean, I just joined that rivalry, I think, you know, just recently, couple years ago.
You know, I think the sport is experiencing some really good times now. We’re attracting a lot of attention to men’s tennis because we have, you know, these two great players, and Murray, myself, and we really have some great players, some charismatic players, a lot of personalities. This is good for tennis.
Q. This season on clay, Nadal was the most consistent player while you were less consistent than him. Do you think the final reflected the season on clay? If you could look back on the clay‑court season, is there anything you would change?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don’t think I was not consistent enough. I mean, I was less consistent than him, if you want to say that. Yeah, I played three finals. He has won three finals against me. It’s tough to be more consistent than that, you know, on this surface.
Okay. Last year I lost only one match on clay, French Open semifinals. But look, you know, things happen for a reason, you know. As I said, I could have lost in this tournament earlier. I managed to get to the finals for the first time, so I wouldn’t change anything, you know. I don’t like going back and saying, Okay, maybe this could have gone better.
Everything in life is a lesson, and that’s the way it goes. I hope I can come out stronger and better from this experience.
Q. How difficult is it to win eight games in a row against Nadal on clay?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Very difficult. Very difficult.
Monday, 11 June 2012
Rafa's Post Final Press Conference Transcript
Q. Two very small questions. First, when you were sitting down, everybody was taking your photo. You picked up the trophy, and you were looking at the names on the trophy, counting them. Whose names were you looking at, yours or someone else’s?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I was looking at the winners. No, no, no, no. For me is very small, and I wasn’t counting. I just go year by year.
Q. Downstairs your Uncle Toni was telling us that he thinks that you are unlucky to be playing in this era of Djokovic, Federer, you. Is that how you see it? Do you think you’re unlucky to be in such a fabulous era for tennis?
RAFAEL NADAL: I feel very lucky to achieve all what I achieved until today. I have great rivals, but, you know, even if it’s good era of tennis, playing against fantastic players, no, I’m more than happy to enjoy matches like I had. I enjoyed a lot the final of Australia, today. I suffered, but I enjoyed.
A lot of important finals for me, a lot of important matches that I was able to enjoy against fantastic players like Novak, like Federer, like Andy.
For me, you can feel unlucky or lucky, both.
Q. Congratulations, Rafa. You had a hard two‑part final. Since last night, how did you prepare technically, physically, morally? Analyze the situation where you lost eight games in a row on clay, which is very unusual. How did you handle it this morning?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, the conditions were really unusual, too. No, the ball was heavier than ever. At the end, the bounces start to be bad last half an hour of match yesterday.
In my opinion, the conditions were much more favorable for Novak than for me. At the same time, I am playing against the best of the world, the best of the world with good conditions probably for him. He played, in my opinion, fantastic that eight games in a row.
He didn’t have mistakes. He return fantastically well, and he did probably everything very well in that part of the match.
That’s true that I lost meters behind the baseline. I really felt that I wasn’t able to push him back like I did, especially at the beginning of the match and then for moments.
He was able to push me back almost all the time. I felt that I was in a completely, you know, negative positions almost every time on that period of match.
So, for me, the last game was very important after eight games in a row, losing the last one and before the stop. That game that put the 2‑1 on the score was very, very important.
Q. Congratulations. Were you happy that the match was stopped last night? Was it easy for you to sleep last night?
RAFAEL NADAL: Seriously, I was very nervous during all the night. I was a little bit anxious to play what remain of the match. But even if was clearly good thing for me, I stop the match yesterday, because with that conditions, well, seriously, the last couple of games, the conditions of the court was not the right ones to play a final of a Grand Slam, you know. We had to stop.
Anyway, I felt that was a positive stop for me. I really felt that the stop against David Ferrer in the semifinals with set and 4‑1 was not positive for me. At the end was positive for me. And the stop before that we come back to the court that with 6‑4, 5‑3, I felt that was not positive for me, too, neither.
That’s true. The last stop was important for me, especially because the conditions of play was not the normal ones in this court.
Q. Congratulations. You’ve won this title seven times. Can you talk about that? Novak said you’re definitely the best male player to ever play on this surface. Can you address that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, thanks for the words, what Novak said.
I don’t know if I am the best or not. I really ‑‑ I am not the right one to say that. The only thing is I have probably one of the best results ever probably in this kind of surfaces, and for me is great.
For me is a real emotional day, win another time here. Sure, the seventh is important because I am the player who has more today, but like I said yesterday: that’s after. For me, the important thing is win Roland Garros even if it’s the first, second, third, or seventh, no? That’s what makes me very happy, very happy the way that I played today, because I played much more aggressive.
In my opinion, I started very well yesterday the first three games, played fantastic levels. But later, after that, I felt that I didn’t play fantastic yesterday after that first games, no?
I felt that today this set I played better than yesterday. My serve especially worked very well, and my forehand, my movements, were more aggressive.
Q. You say that you enjoy winning every title, but the emotions, when you went up to be with your family in the player’s box, they seemed very strong this time, maybe even stronger than normal. Was it not that way?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, was that way, sure. Was important victory for me. I really spend a really hard day since yesterday. You know, I am playing this match since Friday afternoon, so is a long time preparing the match. Yesterday with all the stops and today, I really felt tired and nervous before the match.
My feeling was I wasn’t ready for the match one hour ago, two hours ago, two hours before the match, and I felt ready to go on court three minutes before. That’s the first moment since we stop the match yesterday ‑‑ the first moment that I really felt that I am here to play and I feel confident to try was three minutes before go on court, because for the rest of the time I was a little bit too nervous, more nervous than usual probably for the situation.
Q. Djokovic lost with you making a double fault on match point in Rome. Then double fault on break point at 3‑All.
RAFAEL NADAL: In three of them.
Q. Three of them. And then one in first game of the second set and match point today. Do you think something change in his attitude that last year when he was invincible it would never have happened, or do you face him like he’s a little bit more tense than he was, for instance, last year or not? Do you have a feeling that he’s changed or not?
RAFAEL NADAL: The things are like this, you know. You cannot expect to save all the moments fantastic well. You cannot expect to be in every tournament playing at your best and saving the important moments with fantastic shots.
Seriously, if I say something wrong about Novak probably gonna be a big mistake, because don’t forget that he won in Australia, he won in Miami, played semifinals in Indian Wells losing 7‑6 in the third, playing final in Monte‑Carlo and final in Rome and final here.
So his season has been great, and the double faults, that’s only coincidence, in my opinion. Don’t forget that last year he saved unbelievable match in the semifinals of US Open. This year he saved two unbelievable matches at semifinals of Australian Open and final of Australian Open.
In this tournament he saved two sets down against Seppi. He saved four match points against Tsonga. You cannot expect save all the time like this, playing great like he did in the match points against Tsonga.
He’s doing fantastic, but is impossible for anyone play every time perfect.
Q. Last year this time you won here, and then you didn’t win another title. Do you think your level is higher now than it was a year ago, and will you be able to carry it over to other surfaces especially with success this time against Novak?
RAFAEL NADAL: I won four titles already this year in my favorite court. That’s clay. I don’t have that chance to play in my favorite court the rest of the season. That’s the thing. No, no, no. That’s the calendar. The calendar says we only have this period of time on clay, and I don’t have more chances to play on clay.
Don’t forget that I play the last five Grand Slam finals in a row. That’s not a victory, that’s not a title, but that’s fantastic results.
I don’t remember last year, but after here I played ‑‑ I played very bad in probably Montreal/Cincinnati. Yes, I played a great US Open, and I played probably bad in Shanghai and in the end of the season in the World Tour Finals, but in the Davis Cup final I played great another time.
You have to find your moments, like I said. With Novak I say the same to me. Is not possible to be perfect every time, be 100% in every tournament. And I gonna try to keep having chances to win, produce chances to win. I produced a lot of chances to win last year, but I lost almost every one.
Hopefully I will keep playing well, and I will keep having chances to win and try to win.
Q. I’m from Germany, and the German fans are a bit worried you might not go to Halle now. Can you say if you decided yet?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I decided few months ago that tomorrow I will be there, and I will be practicing tomorrow afternoon there. We play doubles on Wednesday and singles on Thursday if no one injury comes this night. (Laughter.)
Q. At the age you were last week, Bjørn Borg decided he didn’t want to play tennis anymore. The way you feel right now, how many years do you think we have left of you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I really don’t know how many more years I will be here playing. Is impossible to predict the future, no? I will be here until my physical respect me, until the injuries, you know, respect my chances to keep playing and until my mind stays with motivation, with passion for what I am doing. Hopefully for a long time. I don’t know.
That’s what I will try, and that’s my goal. I work hard every day. I wake up every day with enough motivation to go to practice and to keep improving.
When that change more days than usual, probably will be the time to say, Good‑bye, Guys, and see you in a lot of things.
That’s not the case today, I hope (laughter.)
Q. You’re always very humble, but if I could ask you to brag a little bit, what would you point to as an explanation for why you have been so successful on clay, and particularly on here, so much better than everyone else?
RAFAEL NADAL: In my opinion, not particularly here. On clay, in general, yes, because I didn’t win more titles here than in Monte‑Carlo or Barcelona, won more than Rome, yes.
But in general, all the tournaments that I played on clay I had a good success the last eight years. I don’t know. I think I worked hard all my life. I think my game naturally adapts very well to this surface. My movements are probably the right ones to play here, and my natural shot probably is the right one to play on clay, the normal conditions, no?
So then probably my mental part probably on clay is one of the most important things, especially on clay, more than in the rest of the surfaces, because you have to run, you have to suffer sometimes, you have to play with more tactics, because you have more time to think, to do things.
Probably the reason is because I always was scared to lose. That’s why I go on court every day against other opponent with the full respect, knowing that you can lose and you can win.
Then I think I was very focused for the last eight years, because winning as much as I did in this surface the last eight years is not because I played great every time. Is impossible to play great every time. Because when I played so‑so, I was there mentally. The mental part was there 100%, so probably that’s why the reason.
THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions, please.
Q. Congratulations, Rafa. So apart from this magic number, seven, after all these years when you were fighting hard, you managed to get the support from the crowd. Did you learn French?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I spent quite a lot of time in France, and I understand French very well when people speak it slowly. And don’t forget that the French language is very close to Catalan language, so this is probably the reason why I tried.
Maybe I made a lot of mistakes, but I tried and people understood me, I think. And the most important is that the crowd was great. They supported me. I want to thank the crowd, because it’s a fantastic feeling.
The crowd was really supporting me, and that’s also why I want to make efforts and speak French.
Q. I’d like to know if you think that this final today was the most difficult final in the seven you played here because you were playing against No. 1, because the conditions were appalling, and because the match was stopped.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I had already played against the No. 1 on quite a few occasions, and Federer was No. 1 for several years. So this is not the reason.
It was very difficult because ‑‑ well, I think we need to analyze this match a bit more and analyze all the others, but this was a very complex final except for the last two sets.
I had lost three Grand Slam finals in a row to him. That’s why it was important for me to win, and this is why I was a bit more nervous and there was a lot of emotions.
But the result was important for me, just as important as my final against Federer in 2006 or against Puerta. But when I played Puerta, I had three set points, which was not the case here.
In 2010 it was difficult, but I didn’t suffer too much. I was quite focused. Last year was a difficult match with a lot of emotion. I had had a few losses before. Actually, this year I had won three finals on clay before, which gave me a lot of self‑confidence.
Of course I have great respect for the No. 1 on the other side of the court, but as I say, these are great moments, and in an athlete’s career, you need and remember those moments.
I feel better than last year. Things change. We all have ups and downs, but at the end of the day we were very close during that final.
Q. As compared to the previous years, what is the salient point from this final?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, from a tennis standpoint, be realistic. In 2010 I had won the final without losing any set, as in 2008.
This year I played better than in 2010, and this year, all along the tournament, if you take everything into consideration, I qualified for the final without losing any set. I just had a tiebreaker against Almagro.
As for the rest, I had won quite easily to David, Monaco, Almagro, and when you play that well, means that you’re in great shape. That’s a fact.
Then, for the final, I was obviously a bit more nervous than usual. I started playing very well in the beginning, 3‑Love, 30‑Love. I made a mistake. Then the set became more complicated. Then my game was no longer as clean as it used to be. I made a few mistakes.
I think the three first games yesterday were my best level, and today when we resumed, I was slightly more aggressive with my forehand and I moved well on the court. I was more aggressive.
I don’t like talking about the tournament. I like to talk about the clay season. But I can’t deny that this was probably my best season on clay. I won three tournaments, and I managed to make it to the final of the fourth tournament before I lost my first set.
So Rome, Monte‑Carlo. You all know it’s not easy to achieve such result without losing one set.
So of course I’m very happy.
Q. I wanted to ask you a question. This awards ceremony in Paris is quite special with the National Anthem being played. It’s quite special. What do you feel? You were probably feeling great emotions. What came to your mind at that moment?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, as I said before, there was a lot of emotion. There is always in such moments. You don’t know if you will ever win another victory. You don’t know if this year is going to be the last one.
I achieved it this year, but as time goes by, you give more value to those very precious moments. When you play at a very high level with such beautiful seasons ‑‑ look at what happened last year, for instance. I lost three Grand Slam finals in a row. And you realize that you’re about to win, as in the US Open, and I felt I could win the match and I didn’t.
In Australia I was pleased with the tennis I played, yet I was a bit disappointed, as well, because I had the opportunity of winning. I have four opportunities in a year, and you can’t expect to play your best tennis all the time. And to win a Grand Slam, you have to play your best tennis.
There are very few opportunities, so you have to make the most. If I had lost a fourth final, this would have been very difficult for me. So I felt it really was worth it giving my best, given everything I have achieved since the beginning of the season or even since the beginning of my career.
When you lose, it’s because you don’t deserve the title. So in my mind, this was the final I had to win. This is why there was a lot of emotion.
Q. I remember during the US Open when you said, I know what I have to do. Now that you’ve won all those titles here in Paris, what kind of feelings do you have, or will you start feeling something in a few hours’ time?
RAFAEL NADAL: Of course I’m very happy. I want to think my Uncle Toni, my family, my friends, all the people who supported me. After the US Open when I said, I know what I have to do to win, of course I know. Now the question is: Am I capable of doing that? There is theory and there is what you do. So I just wanted to give a bit of context to that sentence.
In Australia I was not in a very good shape, mentally speaking. I could have won, but for mental reasons, as I had lost, I was probably not in the best mental status. Now I’m here, I made it, I did everything I could to win this match. For me, it’s great emotion.
Maybe at the beginning of the year you start thinking, okay, what’s the tournament I really want to win and I want to start playing in a very good shape? Well, for me, it’s this one.
I also know that my season is going to be good moving on, because I’m in great shape, but I’m very pragmatic, and I need to prepare for the others.
Q. Did you sleep well last night or did you see the match in your head or did you watch the soccer team?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I watched the soccer match in the locker room. I didn’t see it when Italy scored a goal, but I didn’t want to watch my match nor read any articles or anything, so I looked at TV, the news a bit, and the football game.
Then I watched a series, and strangely enough, I had no movie to watch. So I went to bed at midnight. Then I looked at chapters of Sengoku and that was it, because I had no movies. So I read a few chapters of my favorite comic book. I read those three times, and I fell asleep.
Courtesy: Freedom Tennis
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I was looking at the winners. No, no, no, no. For me is very small, and I wasn’t counting. I just go year by year.
Q. Downstairs your Uncle Toni was telling us that he thinks that you are unlucky to be playing in this era of Djokovic, Federer, you. Is that how you see it? Do you think you’re unlucky to be in such a fabulous era for tennis?
RAFAEL NADAL: I feel very lucky to achieve all what I achieved until today. I have great rivals, but, you know, even if it’s good era of tennis, playing against fantastic players, no, I’m more than happy to enjoy matches like I had. I enjoyed a lot the final of Australia, today. I suffered, but I enjoyed.
A lot of important finals for me, a lot of important matches that I was able to enjoy against fantastic players like Novak, like Federer, like Andy.
For me, you can feel unlucky or lucky, both.
Q. Congratulations, Rafa. You had a hard two‑part final. Since last night, how did you prepare technically, physically, morally? Analyze the situation where you lost eight games in a row on clay, which is very unusual. How did you handle it this morning?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, the conditions were really unusual, too. No, the ball was heavier than ever. At the end, the bounces start to be bad last half an hour of match yesterday.
In my opinion, the conditions were much more favorable for Novak than for me. At the same time, I am playing against the best of the world, the best of the world with good conditions probably for him. He played, in my opinion, fantastic that eight games in a row.
He didn’t have mistakes. He return fantastically well, and he did probably everything very well in that part of the match.
That’s true that I lost meters behind the baseline. I really felt that I wasn’t able to push him back like I did, especially at the beginning of the match and then for moments.
He was able to push me back almost all the time. I felt that I was in a completely, you know, negative positions almost every time on that period of match.
So, for me, the last game was very important after eight games in a row, losing the last one and before the stop. That game that put the 2‑1 on the score was very, very important.
Q. Congratulations. Were you happy that the match was stopped last night? Was it easy for you to sleep last night?
RAFAEL NADAL: Seriously, I was very nervous during all the night. I was a little bit anxious to play what remain of the match. But even if was clearly good thing for me, I stop the match yesterday, because with that conditions, well, seriously, the last couple of games, the conditions of the court was not the right ones to play a final of a Grand Slam, you know. We had to stop.
Anyway, I felt that was a positive stop for me. I really felt that the stop against David Ferrer in the semifinals with set and 4‑1 was not positive for me. At the end was positive for me. And the stop before that we come back to the court that with 6‑4, 5‑3, I felt that was not positive for me, too, neither.
That’s true. The last stop was important for me, especially because the conditions of play was not the normal ones in this court.
Q. Congratulations. You’ve won this title seven times. Can you talk about that? Novak said you’re definitely the best male player to ever play on this surface. Can you address that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, thanks for the words, what Novak said.
I don’t know if I am the best or not. I really ‑‑ I am not the right one to say that. The only thing is I have probably one of the best results ever probably in this kind of surfaces, and for me is great.
For me is a real emotional day, win another time here. Sure, the seventh is important because I am the player who has more today, but like I said yesterday: that’s after. For me, the important thing is win Roland Garros even if it’s the first, second, third, or seventh, no? That’s what makes me very happy, very happy the way that I played today, because I played much more aggressive.
In my opinion, I started very well yesterday the first three games, played fantastic levels. But later, after that, I felt that I didn’t play fantastic yesterday after that first games, no?
I felt that today this set I played better than yesterday. My serve especially worked very well, and my forehand, my movements, were more aggressive.
Q. You say that you enjoy winning every title, but the emotions, when you went up to be with your family in the player’s box, they seemed very strong this time, maybe even stronger than normal. Was it not that way?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, was that way, sure. Was important victory for me. I really spend a really hard day since yesterday. You know, I am playing this match since Friday afternoon, so is a long time preparing the match. Yesterday with all the stops and today, I really felt tired and nervous before the match.
My feeling was I wasn’t ready for the match one hour ago, two hours ago, two hours before the match, and I felt ready to go on court three minutes before. That’s the first moment since we stop the match yesterday ‑‑ the first moment that I really felt that I am here to play and I feel confident to try was three minutes before go on court, because for the rest of the time I was a little bit too nervous, more nervous than usual probably for the situation.
Q. Djokovic lost with you making a double fault on match point in Rome. Then double fault on break point at 3‑All.
RAFAEL NADAL: In three of them.
Q. Three of them. And then one in first game of the second set and match point today. Do you think something change in his attitude that last year when he was invincible it would never have happened, or do you face him like he’s a little bit more tense than he was, for instance, last year or not? Do you have a feeling that he’s changed or not?
RAFAEL NADAL: The things are like this, you know. You cannot expect to save all the moments fantastic well. You cannot expect to be in every tournament playing at your best and saving the important moments with fantastic shots.
Seriously, if I say something wrong about Novak probably gonna be a big mistake, because don’t forget that he won in Australia, he won in Miami, played semifinals in Indian Wells losing 7‑6 in the third, playing final in Monte‑Carlo and final in Rome and final here.
So his season has been great, and the double faults, that’s only coincidence, in my opinion. Don’t forget that last year he saved unbelievable match in the semifinals of US Open. This year he saved two unbelievable matches at semifinals of Australian Open and final of Australian Open.
In this tournament he saved two sets down against Seppi. He saved four match points against Tsonga. You cannot expect save all the time like this, playing great like he did in the match points against Tsonga.
He’s doing fantastic, but is impossible for anyone play every time perfect.
Q. Last year this time you won here, and then you didn’t win another title. Do you think your level is higher now than it was a year ago, and will you be able to carry it over to other surfaces especially with success this time against Novak?
RAFAEL NADAL: I won four titles already this year in my favorite court. That’s clay. I don’t have that chance to play in my favorite court the rest of the season. That’s the thing. No, no, no. That’s the calendar. The calendar says we only have this period of time on clay, and I don’t have more chances to play on clay.
Don’t forget that I play the last five Grand Slam finals in a row. That’s not a victory, that’s not a title, but that’s fantastic results.
I don’t remember last year, but after here I played ‑‑ I played very bad in probably Montreal/Cincinnati. Yes, I played a great US Open, and I played probably bad in Shanghai and in the end of the season in the World Tour Finals, but in the Davis Cup final I played great another time.
You have to find your moments, like I said. With Novak I say the same to me. Is not possible to be perfect every time, be 100% in every tournament. And I gonna try to keep having chances to win, produce chances to win. I produced a lot of chances to win last year, but I lost almost every one.
Hopefully I will keep playing well, and I will keep having chances to win and try to win.
Q. I’m from Germany, and the German fans are a bit worried you might not go to Halle now. Can you say if you decided yet?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I decided few months ago that tomorrow I will be there, and I will be practicing tomorrow afternoon there. We play doubles on Wednesday and singles on Thursday if no one injury comes this night. (Laughter.)
Q. At the age you were last week, Bjørn Borg decided he didn’t want to play tennis anymore. The way you feel right now, how many years do you think we have left of you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I really don’t know how many more years I will be here playing. Is impossible to predict the future, no? I will be here until my physical respect me, until the injuries, you know, respect my chances to keep playing and until my mind stays with motivation, with passion for what I am doing. Hopefully for a long time. I don’t know.
That’s what I will try, and that’s my goal. I work hard every day. I wake up every day with enough motivation to go to practice and to keep improving.
When that change more days than usual, probably will be the time to say, Good‑bye, Guys, and see you in a lot of things.
That’s not the case today, I hope (laughter.)
Q. You’re always very humble, but if I could ask you to brag a little bit, what would you point to as an explanation for why you have been so successful on clay, and particularly on here, so much better than everyone else?
RAFAEL NADAL: In my opinion, not particularly here. On clay, in general, yes, because I didn’t win more titles here than in Monte‑Carlo or Barcelona, won more than Rome, yes.
But in general, all the tournaments that I played on clay I had a good success the last eight years. I don’t know. I think I worked hard all my life. I think my game naturally adapts very well to this surface. My movements are probably the right ones to play here, and my natural shot probably is the right one to play on clay, the normal conditions, no?
So then probably my mental part probably on clay is one of the most important things, especially on clay, more than in the rest of the surfaces, because you have to run, you have to suffer sometimes, you have to play with more tactics, because you have more time to think, to do things.
Probably the reason is because I always was scared to lose. That’s why I go on court every day against other opponent with the full respect, knowing that you can lose and you can win.
Then I think I was very focused for the last eight years, because winning as much as I did in this surface the last eight years is not because I played great every time. Is impossible to play great every time. Because when I played so‑so, I was there mentally. The mental part was there 100%, so probably that’s why the reason.
THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions, please.
Q. Congratulations, Rafa. So apart from this magic number, seven, after all these years when you were fighting hard, you managed to get the support from the crowd. Did you learn French?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I spent quite a lot of time in France, and I understand French very well when people speak it slowly. And don’t forget that the French language is very close to Catalan language, so this is probably the reason why I tried.
Maybe I made a lot of mistakes, but I tried and people understood me, I think. And the most important is that the crowd was great. They supported me. I want to thank the crowd, because it’s a fantastic feeling.
The crowd was really supporting me, and that’s also why I want to make efforts and speak French.
Q. I’d like to know if you think that this final today was the most difficult final in the seven you played here because you were playing against No. 1, because the conditions were appalling, and because the match was stopped.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I had already played against the No. 1 on quite a few occasions, and Federer was No. 1 for several years. So this is not the reason.
It was very difficult because ‑‑ well, I think we need to analyze this match a bit more and analyze all the others, but this was a very complex final except for the last two sets.
I had lost three Grand Slam finals in a row to him. That’s why it was important for me to win, and this is why I was a bit more nervous and there was a lot of emotions.
But the result was important for me, just as important as my final against Federer in 2006 or against Puerta. But when I played Puerta, I had three set points, which was not the case here.
In 2010 it was difficult, but I didn’t suffer too much. I was quite focused. Last year was a difficult match with a lot of emotion. I had had a few losses before. Actually, this year I had won three finals on clay before, which gave me a lot of self‑confidence.
Of course I have great respect for the No. 1 on the other side of the court, but as I say, these are great moments, and in an athlete’s career, you need and remember those moments.
I feel better than last year. Things change. We all have ups and downs, but at the end of the day we were very close during that final.
Q. As compared to the previous years, what is the salient point from this final?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, from a tennis standpoint, be realistic. In 2010 I had won the final without losing any set, as in 2008.
This year I played better than in 2010, and this year, all along the tournament, if you take everything into consideration, I qualified for the final without losing any set. I just had a tiebreaker against Almagro.
As for the rest, I had won quite easily to David, Monaco, Almagro, and when you play that well, means that you’re in great shape. That’s a fact.
Then, for the final, I was obviously a bit more nervous than usual. I started playing very well in the beginning, 3‑Love, 30‑Love. I made a mistake. Then the set became more complicated. Then my game was no longer as clean as it used to be. I made a few mistakes.
I think the three first games yesterday were my best level, and today when we resumed, I was slightly more aggressive with my forehand and I moved well on the court. I was more aggressive.
I don’t like talking about the tournament. I like to talk about the clay season. But I can’t deny that this was probably my best season on clay. I won three tournaments, and I managed to make it to the final of the fourth tournament before I lost my first set.
So Rome, Monte‑Carlo. You all know it’s not easy to achieve such result without losing one set.
So of course I’m very happy.
Q. I wanted to ask you a question. This awards ceremony in Paris is quite special with the National Anthem being played. It’s quite special. What do you feel? You were probably feeling great emotions. What came to your mind at that moment?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, as I said before, there was a lot of emotion. There is always in such moments. You don’t know if you will ever win another victory. You don’t know if this year is going to be the last one.
I achieved it this year, but as time goes by, you give more value to those very precious moments. When you play at a very high level with such beautiful seasons ‑‑ look at what happened last year, for instance. I lost three Grand Slam finals in a row. And you realize that you’re about to win, as in the US Open, and I felt I could win the match and I didn’t.
In Australia I was pleased with the tennis I played, yet I was a bit disappointed, as well, because I had the opportunity of winning. I have four opportunities in a year, and you can’t expect to play your best tennis all the time. And to win a Grand Slam, you have to play your best tennis.
There are very few opportunities, so you have to make the most. If I had lost a fourth final, this would have been very difficult for me. So I felt it really was worth it giving my best, given everything I have achieved since the beginning of the season or even since the beginning of my career.
When you lose, it’s because you don’t deserve the title. So in my mind, this was the final I had to win. This is why there was a lot of emotion.
Q. I remember during the US Open when you said, I know what I have to do. Now that you’ve won all those titles here in Paris, what kind of feelings do you have, or will you start feeling something in a few hours’ time?
RAFAEL NADAL: Of course I’m very happy. I want to think my Uncle Toni, my family, my friends, all the people who supported me. After the US Open when I said, I know what I have to do to win, of course I know. Now the question is: Am I capable of doing that? There is theory and there is what you do. So I just wanted to give a bit of context to that sentence.
In Australia I was not in a very good shape, mentally speaking. I could have won, but for mental reasons, as I had lost, I was probably not in the best mental status. Now I’m here, I made it, I did everything I could to win this match. For me, it’s great emotion.
Maybe at the beginning of the year you start thinking, okay, what’s the tournament I really want to win and I want to start playing in a very good shape? Well, for me, it’s this one.
I also know that my season is going to be good moving on, because I’m in great shape, but I’m very pragmatic, and I need to prepare for the others.
Q. Did you sleep well last night or did you see the match in your head or did you watch the soccer team?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I watched the soccer match in the locker room. I didn’t see it when Italy scored a goal, but I didn’t want to watch my match nor read any articles or anything, so I looked at TV, the news a bit, and the football game.
Then I watched a series, and strangely enough, I had no movie to watch. So I went to bed at midnight. Then I looked at chapters of Sengoku and that was it, because I had no movies. So I read a few chapters of my favorite comic book. I read those three times, and I fell asleep.
Courtesy: Freedom Tennis
Rafa Has The Record
7up for Rafa now.
Bad luck to Novak.
I have seen nothing of the match today as I was travelling from Paris to Halle. I will hopefully be able to speak to Rafa at the Gerry Weber Open and ask him how he feels now he has broken Borg's long-standing record of Roland Garros titles.
Novak has chose not to play this week so he will no doubt be back home now.
I will once again be reporting for The Tennis Times so be sure to check out the site daily and sign up to my Twitter for updates.
Bad luck to Novak.
I have seen nothing of the match today as I was travelling from Paris to Halle. I will hopefully be able to speak to Rafa at the Gerry Weber Open and ask him how he feels now he has broken Borg's long-standing record of Roland Garros titles.
Novak has chose not to play this week so he will no doubt be back home now.
I will once again be reporting for The Tennis Times so be sure to check out the site daily and sign up to my Twitter for updates.
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Rafa's Pre Final Press Conference
New post on freedomtennis
RAFAEL NADAL Pre-final press conference June 09 2012
by freedomtennis
RAFAEL NADAL
Q. There are a lot of talk about the weather tomorrow, that maybe it is going to rain all day, and the final could be moved to Monday. Have you been said anything about it? What do you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: What I can think? What can I think? If rains, rains, then we play Monday. That's all.
Q. Nobody told you anything already?
RAFAEL NADAL: I heard things, that there is chances to rain. But I cannot think about that. I have to think that I gonna play tomorrow and be focused for tomorrow. Then if rains, wait, and if not, come for Monday.
Q. Novak describes this as the ultimate challenge for him, the final tomorrow, because there is so much riding on it more than just the title, with all the records that are attached to it. How do you see it?
RAFAEL NADAL: For him? To win four in a row?
Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, it's good. Is an opportunity for him. He's the No. 1 of the world. He is doing fantastic season. We'll see tomorrow.
Gonna be a difficult match ‑ for me; hopefully for him, too. I will try my best, as every day.
Q. The Melbourne final was the toughest, most brutal tennis match most of us had ever seen. Do you foresee even greater physical endurance and strength being needed in this final?
RAFAEL NADAL: Before the final is difficult to imagine another match of six hours. Difficult to imagine a match like this.
But I will be there fighting every ball. We cannot predict what's going on. The only thing that I have to predict that he is playing well, he is playing with confidence, and I have to play aggressive, I have to play my game.
Try to keep playing the same way that I am playing. We will see what is happening then during the match. Try to find solutions if the things are going wrong. But I don't know what can happen.
Q. Do you feel more pressure this year because you can break Borg's record, or is it pressure as usual?
RAFAEL NADAL: I had the chance to break the Borg record because I won already six. The pressure is the same every year. I am here because I try my best every day and because I have a lot of motivation, the illusion to try to win the tournament, not because ‑ I said it almost every day ‑ not because it's the seventh, because it's Roland Garros. It's one of my top tournaments of the year, if not the most important.
So seriously, extra pressure for me for being the seventh is zero. The pressure is the same because is another final of Roland Garros, and that's the most important thing for me.
In the end, if finally happens, gonna be another thing that maybe is important, maybe not that much important like the people say. For me, the important thing is Roland Garros.
Q. Does your solid match from yesterday makes you maybe a bit more relaxed?
RAFAEL NADAL: You cannot be relaxed against the No. 1 player of the world. The match of yesterday just give me confidence. That's confirm that I am playing well. I play well almost every day. That's the most important thing for me, no?
For sure, I will have my doubts for tomorrow. For sure I have to respect the other opponent. He beat me a lot of times.
But I am here to fight every ball and to try my best in every moment. We'll see.
Q. Can you talk about what the rivalry with Novak means to you since last year and this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, tomorrow is another match. You know, we played a lot of important matches throughout our careers, both of us against each other, so that makes the rivalry, no?
Friday, 8 June 2012
Novak's post semi final press conference
Many thanks to FreedomTennis
Q. Was it a little difficult to keep your concentration at a level where you wanted today, considering the ebbs and flows of the match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it’s always an effort and it’s always a challenge, you know, to be focused and play, take the maximum amount of your abilities out of these matches.
That is the ask, you know. That is something that you need to do if you want to be a winner at the end of matches against one of your biggest rivals.
Q. The Australian Open final, what recollections do you have of that amazing final now, and what do you draw from that? And also wanted to ask you about the one shot which Rafa mentioned in his press conference, that easy backhand he missed in the final of the fifth set, if you have any recollections of that moment, if you know what I mean.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it’s definitely the most exciting match I ever had in my career, you know. The longest for sure. You know, considering the fact that it was a final, it was just incredible historic match to be part of.
Obviously we both wanted to win and win the trophy, and in the end it had to be only one winner. But I thought we played an incredible match. And, yes, he did have his chances. Obviously that backhand that you mentioned, I think it was 3‑2 or 4‑2 up and 30‑15.
But that’s what happens at this level: couple of points and couple of mistakes decide the winner. It’s going to be quite different on Sunday because this is a different surface. It’s different circumstances.
You know, he plays always his best here in Roland Garros, and so I expect to do that as well on Sunday. I know that I have to be consistently playing consistently well on very high level in order to win best‑of‑five against Nadal here.
It’s an ultimate challenge. But, you know, I believe that today was the best match of 2012 Roland Garros for me, so I’ve raised my game when I needed to. I played really well when it was the most important, so that’s something that gives me confidence obviously before the finals.
Q. In the previous rounds you came out of some very difficult situations in this Roland Garros, and today especially in the second set again you have had a very tough second set. What happens in those moments? Like it’s as if you’re becoming a master in crisis management. What happens? Your concentration is like getting to its peak? What happens?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it’s up and down. I think I would really want myself not to have the downs that I had in the beginning of the second set, you know, losing two times the serve.
But I regrouped, you know, mentally, and I came back. That’s really a positive, you know, especially when you come back from double break down. Against a player like Federer it is a success. You know, it is a great achievement.
But look, you know, I cannot allow myself to have that many ups and downs, especially the next match. You know, I know, I am aware of the intensity that I needed to play today and on Sunday, as well.
I’m not for the first time in that position. I have let’s say the experience playing semifinals and finals against these two guys so many times in the last five years. But never against Nadal in the finals here in Roland Garros, so it’s going to be a challenge.
Both of us want this title. We’ll see who will prevail.
Q. Can we have an answer in French for French radios, please? (In French.)
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I understand.
Q. (In French.) This is your most important match in your career. What is your mindset? How did you feel?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: (In French) Well, I’m happy with my game today. I think that today this was a very important moment for me. I played even better. It’s very important before I play against Nadal. It’s the first time I’m going to be with him in the finals here in Paris. I hope I’m going to play a good match again, and that the level I’ll play will be high.
That’s the best can I do at this moment.
Q. (In English.) The last three times you played Nadal in the Grand Slam final you came in with a winning streak against him, and this time it’s different. Do you feel like even though it’s on clay that the dynamic between you two has changed? And how?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he won the last two encounters we had on clay in finals in Monte‑Carlo and Rome. Everything counts. I did have a little strange circumstances in Monte‑Carlo. But look, you know, I’m not looking for excuse. He was a better player.
You know, things change at this level, as I said. You know, I didn’t expect to win every match till the end of our careers against him, even though I won what, six, seven in a row?
But I won against him on clay last year two times back to back in eight days, and that’s something that is back of my mind. That’s something that can give me confidence, you know, I can think of when I step on the court with him on Sunday.
But obviously it is different because now it’s best‑of‑five. He has lost what, two matches in his career here? So that’s ‑‑ or one? (Laughter.)
That says enough, I mean, about his quality on this court. I lost to him I think here I think maybe three times. I haven’t won a set against him in this court. You know, all the facts are on his side.
But, look, you know, I feel different nowadays. I believe I’m at the peak of my career. I’m playing the best tennis of my life in last year and a half, and I should use that, you know. I should use that as a confidence boostance [sic] and try to get my hands on title. Why not?
I have won against a great player today. First time I find myself on Sunday in Paris. Let’s see what I can do.
Q. Roger Federer said that Rafa was clearly the favorite for the final. Do you agree?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I just mentioned all the facts, so you can say that he’s a favorite, definitely.
It’s a final, so, again, I think it’s unpredictable what’s going to happen because we are top two players, and we have played so many times last year and a half in so many finals.
He is a favorite because of all the facts that we just mentioned. But I believe in myself. I think I have a chance.
Q. What’s the difference between, say, controlling a match and points on grass and hard courts against Rafa than it would be on clay, which you’ve done a very good job with obviously on the other surfaces?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, because here you get an extra ball back. It’s a slower conditions, which obviously suits him better. The ball bounces a bit higher for his topspin that he plays, you know, on this surface. It works at his advantage.
But between, you know, I think the conditions on the center court here in Roland Garros maybe comparing to other clay court events that we have, like Monte‑Carlo or maybe Rome, I think they are a little bit faster.
So that can maybe work in my favor. But you can always expect him to play on a very high level, you know. He doesn’t have much flaws in his game on this surface, so I need to step on the court believing I can win.
I mean, that’s the only way really I am aware of the differences in the surface. But I’ll try to make ‑‑ to have a right mindset and believe.
Q. I don’t want to insist so much on Rafa being the favorite and so on, but I would like you to give us a number, like the final is 50/50, 60% for him…
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I have to disappoint you. I’m really not good with numbers. I’m not good with percentages. (Smiling.)
Q. Can you just talk about the historical importance of this match? I mean, for both of you there is a lot on the line.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there’s a lot on the line. It always is when you’re playing finals of a Grand Slam.
Obviously, you know, considering the matches that we played against each other in last 15 months, you know, we expect another emotional match, another big challenge for both of us, fighting for one of the four biggest titles in our sport.
So there’s always that on the line. And of course the other side, for me personally, is that I have this golden opportunity to, you know, make history. This motivates me, you know. It really inspires me.
You know, I’m really grateful to be in this position, obviously. And look, you know, I’ll try to prepare for that match and get my hands on that trophy if I can.
Q. Can I ask you how much your grandfather is still in your thoughts? If you don’t mind me asking. How much of a motivation and inspiration kind of his memory is during this run?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he’s always in my thoughts, you know, in a very positive way.
You know, I overcome the sadness that I had, you know, in that period during Monte‑Carlo tournament and afterwards. Life goes on, and remember good moments. Yeah, it was nice to see most of my family today there, even my cousins from Geneva. They all came. It was really nice to have my box full with the closest ones.
Q. Just go back to the motivation. You were talking about being motivated to make history. When Roger was beating you in finals and Rafa was beating you in semifinals, did you ever think, One day I could actually eclipse them and do something that they haven’t done, which hasn’t been done in our sport?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It’s very hard to find anything they haven’t done and achieved, you know, both of these guys. But if there is one thing they haven’t done and I can do, I would be very happy.
But I’m not thinking about that, you know. It’s not about really, you know, okay, prestige or whatever, being better than one person. I’m thinking about myself, my career, and just trying to win every match that I play on.
And obviously I had a lot of doubts, you know, in last couple of years if I can really overcome the big challenge of the two strongest players in our sport, most dominant players in our sport.
I’ve matured, you know. I got stronger over the years. You know, it’s because of them, as well, you know. They made me a better player. This is I think the beauty of today’s tennis in this moment, is that we make each other better players and better persons on and off the court.
So it’s, you know, it’s nice to see that.
Q. When you prepare for a very important match, either with your entourage or yourself, do you sometimes watch videos of another match you’ve done with this player and analyze the situation and say, I should have done this or I should have done that? Do you sometimes use video?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, sure. We do have a different ways of preparation. That’s one of the ways to prepare the strategy, yeah.
Q. Do you intend to do this for the final?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I will keep my own routine, yes. Yes.
Q. Was it a little difficult to keep your concentration at a level where you wanted today, considering the ebbs and flows of the match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it’s always an effort and it’s always a challenge, you know, to be focused and play, take the maximum amount of your abilities out of these matches.
That is the ask, you know. That is something that you need to do if you want to be a winner at the end of matches against one of your biggest rivals.
Q. The Australian Open final, what recollections do you have of that amazing final now, and what do you draw from that? And also wanted to ask you about the one shot which Rafa mentioned in his press conference, that easy backhand he missed in the final of the fifth set, if you have any recollections of that moment, if you know what I mean.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it’s definitely the most exciting match I ever had in my career, you know. The longest for sure. You know, considering the fact that it was a final, it was just incredible historic match to be part of.
Obviously we both wanted to win and win the trophy, and in the end it had to be only one winner. But I thought we played an incredible match. And, yes, he did have his chances. Obviously that backhand that you mentioned, I think it was 3‑2 or 4‑2 up and 30‑15.
But that’s what happens at this level: couple of points and couple of mistakes decide the winner. It’s going to be quite different on Sunday because this is a different surface. It’s different circumstances.
You know, he plays always his best here in Roland Garros, and so I expect to do that as well on Sunday. I know that I have to be consistently playing consistently well on very high level in order to win best‑of‑five against Nadal here.
It’s an ultimate challenge. But, you know, I believe that today was the best match of 2012 Roland Garros for me, so I’ve raised my game when I needed to. I played really well when it was the most important, so that’s something that gives me confidence obviously before the finals.
Q. In the previous rounds you came out of some very difficult situations in this Roland Garros, and today especially in the second set again you have had a very tough second set. What happens in those moments? Like it’s as if you’re becoming a master in crisis management. What happens? Your concentration is like getting to its peak? What happens?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it’s up and down. I think I would really want myself not to have the downs that I had in the beginning of the second set, you know, losing two times the serve.
But I regrouped, you know, mentally, and I came back. That’s really a positive, you know, especially when you come back from double break down. Against a player like Federer it is a success. You know, it is a great achievement.
But look, you know, I cannot allow myself to have that many ups and downs, especially the next match. You know, I know, I am aware of the intensity that I needed to play today and on Sunday, as well.
I’m not for the first time in that position. I have let’s say the experience playing semifinals and finals against these two guys so many times in the last five years. But never against Nadal in the finals here in Roland Garros, so it’s going to be a challenge.
Both of us want this title. We’ll see who will prevail.
Q. Can we have an answer in French for French radios, please? (In French.)
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I understand.
Q. (In French.) This is your most important match in your career. What is your mindset? How did you feel?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: (In French) Well, I’m happy with my game today. I think that today this was a very important moment for me. I played even better. It’s very important before I play against Nadal. It’s the first time I’m going to be with him in the finals here in Paris. I hope I’m going to play a good match again, and that the level I’ll play will be high.
That’s the best can I do at this moment.
Q. (In English.) The last three times you played Nadal in the Grand Slam final you came in with a winning streak against him, and this time it’s different. Do you feel like even though it’s on clay that the dynamic between you two has changed? And how?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he won the last two encounters we had on clay in finals in Monte‑Carlo and Rome. Everything counts. I did have a little strange circumstances in Monte‑Carlo. But look, you know, I’m not looking for excuse. He was a better player.
You know, things change at this level, as I said. You know, I didn’t expect to win every match till the end of our careers against him, even though I won what, six, seven in a row?
But I won against him on clay last year two times back to back in eight days, and that’s something that is back of my mind. That’s something that can give me confidence, you know, I can think of when I step on the court with him on Sunday.
But obviously it is different because now it’s best‑of‑five. He has lost what, two matches in his career here? So that’s ‑‑ or one? (Laughter.)
That says enough, I mean, about his quality on this court. I lost to him I think here I think maybe three times. I haven’t won a set against him in this court. You know, all the facts are on his side.
But, look, you know, I feel different nowadays. I believe I’m at the peak of my career. I’m playing the best tennis of my life in last year and a half, and I should use that, you know. I should use that as a confidence boostance [sic] and try to get my hands on title. Why not?
I have won against a great player today. First time I find myself on Sunday in Paris. Let’s see what I can do.
Q. Roger Federer said that Rafa was clearly the favorite for the final. Do you agree?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I just mentioned all the facts, so you can say that he’s a favorite, definitely.
It’s a final, so, again, I think it’s unpredictable what’s going to happen because we are top two players, and we have played so many times last year and a half in so many finals.
He is a favorite because of all the facts that we just mentioned. But I believe in myself. I think I have a chance.
Q. What’s the difference between, say, controlling a match and points on grass and hard courts against Rafa than it would be on clay, which you’ve done a very good job with obviously on the other surfaces?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, because here you get an extra ball back. It’s a slower conditions, which obviously suits him better. The ball bounces a bit higher for his topspin that he plays, you know, on this surface. It works at his advantage.
But between, you know, I think the conditions on the center court here in Roland Garros maybe comparing to other clay court events that we have, like Monte‑Carlo or maybe Rome, I think they are a little bit faster.
So that can maybe work in my favor. But you can always expect him to play on a very high level, you know. He doesn’t have much flaws in his game on this surface, so I need to step on the court believing I can win.
I mean, that’s the only way really I am aware of the differences in the surface. But I’ll try to make ‑‑ to have a right mindset and believe.
Q. I don’t want to insist so much on Rafa being the favorite and so on, but I would like you to give us a number, like the final is 50/50, 60% for him…
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I have to disappoint you. I’m really not good with numbers. I’m not good with percentages. (Smiling.)
Q. Can you just talk about the historical importance of this match? I mean, for both of you there is a lot on the line.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there’s a lot on the line. It always is when you’re playing finals of a Grand Slam.
Obviously, you know, considering the matches that we played against each other in last 15 months, you know, we expect another emotional match, another big challenge for both of us, fighting for one of the four biggest titles in our sport.
So there’s always that on the line. And of course the other side, for me personally, is that I have this golden opportunity to, you know, make history. This motivates me, you know. It really inspires me.
You know, I’m really grateful to be in this position, obviously. And look, you know, I’ll try to prepare for that match and get my hands on that trophy if I can.
Q. Can I ask you how much your grandfather is still in your thoughts? If you don’t mind me asking. How much of a motivation and inspiration kind of his memory is during this run?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he’s always in my thoughts, you know, in a very positive way.
You know, I overcome the sadness that I had, you know, in that period during Monte‑Carlo tournament and afterwards. Life goes on, and remember good moments. Yeah, it was nice to see most of my family today there, even my cousins from Geneva. They all came. It was really nice to have my box full with the closest ones.
Q. Just go back to the motivation. You were talking about being motivated to make history. When Roger was beating you in finals and Rafa was beating you in semifinals, did you ever think, One day I could actually eclipse them and do something that they haven’t done, which hasn’t been done in our sport?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It’s very hard to find anything they haven’t done and achieved, you know, both of these guys. But if there is one thing they haven’t done and I can do, I would be very happy.
But I’m not thinking about that, you know. It’s not about really, you know, okay, prestige or whatever, being better than one person. I’m thinking about myself, my career, and just trying to win every match that I play on.
And obviously I had a lot of doubts, you know, in last couple of years if I can really overcome the big challenge of the two strongest players in our sport, most dominant players in our sport.
I’ve matured, you know. I got stronger over the years. You know, it’s because of them, as well, you know. They made me a better player. This is I think the beauty of today’s tennis in this moment, is that we make each other better players and better persons on and off the court.
So it’s, you know, it’s nice to see that.
Q. When you prepare for a very important match, either with your entourage or yourself, do you sometimes watch videos of another match you’ve done with this player and analyze the situation and say, I should have done this or I should have done that? Do you sometimes use video?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, sure. We do have a different ways of preparation. That’s one of the ways to prepare the strategy, yeah.
Q. Do you intend to do this for the final?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I will keep my own routine, yes. Yes.
Rafa's Semi Final Press Conference
Q. Of your many memorable matches on this particular court, how highly would that rate amongst your victories, do you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: Today?
Q. Yes, today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure was one of my best matches in this court, yeah. I think I played really solid match with not easy conditions out there, a lot of wind.
In my opinion I did almost everything right, because my serve worked very well, changing directions. My backhand was the best day so far today. The forehand, I hit well the forehand during all the tournament. Today wasn’t an exception.
But probably today the only difference is today I played close to the baseline and last day when I came here after the match after Almagro, I say that I would like to play a little bit more closer to the baseline, more inside, than the last match.
I will need to try to beat against the next opponents. I did today. I am very happy; sorry for David. He deserve it. He’s a great fighter. He’s always there week after week.
Sure, it’s very important victory for me, and to win with this result against one of the best players of the moment, one of the best players of the world, is because I did very well. If not, is impossible to win against David like this.
Q. How close to perfection is your game at the moment?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t believe in perfection, no? I really don’t like to talk about perfection, because that, my opinion, doesn’t exist. You can play always better.
But, sure, I am very happy the way that I am playing. Probably today was my best much on the tournament. That’s fantastic, play my best match in one semifinals and against probably the more difficult opponent that I play here.
Q. It’s easier to break serve on clay? You have been broken only once in the tournament. It’s pretty amazing. How can you explain that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I say the other day, sure, is easier to have breaks on clay. But I say the other day, the first two rounds, in my opinion, I didn’t serve very well. My serve didn’t work very well.
But I only lost one time my serve in the first round against Bolelli. In the second set I think. Or the third, second, I don’t know, but I was 4‑Love, 30‑Love.
I played very well from the baseline during all the tournament. I played without mistakes. But that’s true, after the first two rounds my serve started to work much better.
And the combination of serving well with good percentage, changing directions. After that, we followed that with very good game from the baseline. Playing aggressive with my forehand with no mistakes is more difficult to have breaks.
But, anyway, only lose one time is a coincidence, because I have break points against. I saved a few ones like today on the beginning with lucky.
Is impossible only arrive to a final of Grand Slam with only one break on clay without a little bit of lucky in some moments. But that’s true that probably I saved less moments than usual with my serve.
Q. You’re obviously totally focused when you begin a match. Are you a bit surprised, disappointed, that a Grand Slam semifinal, the first set, the stadium is half empty, particularly around the court?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. Is the timing probably wasn’t the best. 1:00 is probably not the best timing. That’s the reason, no, in my opinion. I played almost every day ‑‑ I can’t say every day with a full court.
Is not disappointing when you play since the first round, you know, with full crowd, full stadium in every round and you arrive to the semifinals, you play 1:00 in the afternoon. At 1:00 is a little bit early, no? I see after, at the end of the match, the court was almost everything full.
The normal thing, in my opinion ‑‑ I don’t remember very well, but last couple years we started at 2:00? 1:00, too? Always at 1:00?
I had the feeling that we started at 2:00. I don’t know why.
Q. There was one great point during that rally with more than 30 strokes. You fell on your back. How did you react? What went through your mind when you slipped? And then afterwards, what do you think about such a point? What does it say about tennis?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, is a combination of a few things, you know. Confidence, because I was playing well in that moment. I was playing better and better, and I fell down ‑‑ it was in the second set or beginning of the second, probably, yes, with 30‑All.
So, you know, I came from a few very good games after the 2‑1 against me in the beginning of the first. I played like five, six games, very solid ones, playing better and better in every moment.
So you arrive to this situation, 30‑All, you play a fantastic point, you fall down, but seriously I saw the ball all the time. Sometimes even if I lost the balance of my ball and I fell down, I was watching the ball in every moment.
So even if I am on the floor, I had the time to hit the ball in reasonable good position, no? That’s all.
Q. You lost two games to Juan Monaco in a previous round, very good player, highly regarded player. Today the No. 6 player in the world gets five games off you. What do you think that says about the level of competition to you on clay, on this surface, at the moment from the rest of the players?
RAFAEL NADAL: The level of competition always is very high. We cannot expect to have less competition this year than last year. For example, that I saved a few different difficult matches. I lost matches on clay.
The reason is probably playing one of my best levels on clay the last couple of matches. That’s the reason of the results. You know, I only remember these results on me in 2008 here.
To have these results always you have to unify a little different facts. Today, for example, I saved a very important point at 2‑1 in the first set. You never know if he have the 3‑1, he was playing better than me at the beginning of the match, just beginning, and you never know what’s going on.
But that’s tennis; that’s the sport. Sometimes you feel great. Seems like everything is going in your favor. Sometimes you feel the opposite.
But the reason is I am playing well since the beginning of the season. I am having almost perfect clay court season, and we’ll see what’s going on in the final. It’s gonna be a very tough match, and doesn’t matter what’s happened during all the tournament.
That’s going to be a special match against No. 1 or No. 3 of the world. I will see what’s going on, because it will be a very difficult battle for me.
Q. I got the microphone three questions ago, and now you answered a bit. So you’re more confident than ever now the way you’re playing since this is the fourth time already that you are in the final without losing a set? This is different from the other times when you got to the final without losing a set? Are you even more confident because you are playing much, much better, you don’t give any chance to any player or?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. The only thing that I don’t think is I am in the final without losing a set. The way that I think is I am in the final; I am playing well; hopefully I can play one more match at this level. That’s all.
Difficult to compare the feeling of 2008 with 2010, with 2011, because every year you have a different feeling, different situations, different experiences you arrive with. You know, you are very much older, I am today.
The experience give me that you can lose when you are playing fantastic; you can win when you are not playing that well. You have to be with calm, with feet on the floor and fighting every ball, and try to be ready for Sunday. Hopefully I will.
But more or less confidence than 2008 and 2010 or 2005, that really doesn’t matter, because only thing that’s going to matter is how I’m going to play on this Sunday.
Q. We’re now guaranteed that 28 of the last 29 Grand Slams have been won by three players, whoever wins the semifinal. But can you give some thoughts on this kind of dominance from three players? Never really seen that in men’s tennis before.
RAFAEL NADAL: I am not the right one to say that probably, because any word I will say will sound arrogant maybe. So that’s not the way that I like to answer the question. So you can answer, and other people.
But I think that’s much the answer, no, because is difficult for me to answer this question.
THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions, please.
Q. We saw you when you were there on the court. Nelson Monfort was speaking in Spanish and you were answering in French. Why? Well, by the way, this was a good thing to do; we could understand you clearly.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, French and Catalan are languages that are quite similar. You know, at the end of the day there are a few words that I’ve learnt, you know, after coming here.
Sometimes I dare; sometimes I wouldn’t dare to speak French.
Q. You’ve probably said this in English, but I’d like to ask you how you feel now that you’re going to play the finals. Are you as happy as before, that is, the previous years?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, thank you very much. I’m really glad. I’m highly motivated, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I’m really happy. I’m looking forward to it.
And, you know, you can’t save a country if you’re not motivated enough, if you haven’t got enough energy. You can’t look forward to it. So I’m really very happy and looking forward to the finals.
Q. It’s your seventh finals here in Paris. What does this mean for you now that you’re going to play the finals?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, you know, this means I play well. I’m playing a good type of tennis. I’ve improved since last year, and things have turned out quite positively for me since the beginning of the year.
And then I’ll be playing the Grand Slam finals, which is something quite special for me. This tournament is special for me. I’m really happy to reach this level, that is, the finals.
Considering what’s happened so far, I’d say this tournament has been excellent for me, and then we’ll see what happens next, what is is going to happen during the finals.
I mean, if I were to win I’d be very happy, but the best thing for me is to reap the fruit of these so many years of work.
I’d like to change my style a little and be more aggressive, slightly more aggressive. Anyway, I’m really happy to reach the finals irrespective of what might happen during the finals, because I’ve improved. I’ve gone a notch up, if you will.
My level has improved slightly against last year’s. I’ll see if I win or lose. But I’m satisfied and happy, because I’ve already improved.
Last year I had the impression I didn’t really play that well; whereas this year I’m playing really well. But that’s sport, you know. So far, so good.
I’ll still practice and work on a number of things. Of course, on Sunday I’ll play my best tennis.
Q. You’ve said you’ve gone a notch up or you’ve gone through a step. Do you think you’ve reached your best type of tennis on clay, or close to it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don’t really remember. Are you talking about 2008 or are you talking about 2010 or 2005? I don’t know. You know, it’s a bit complicated. I don’t really realize.
But anyway, the thing I can tell you is that I’ve changed a number of things in my game. My level is still very high, which is something very positive. It’s equally important to have the right feelings, and to have the impression that you’re improving is something important.
It counts to be motivated. I’m still very much eager to learn and do things all the time better and better.
This is what motivates me, what makes me happy. I’m not talking about my results, which is the logical consequence of what I’ve just said. But my objective, as I’ve always said, is to always improve day after day.
Q. As we’ve said, it’s your seventh finals here at Roland Garros. The score was 6‑2, 6‑2, 6‑1. You have 51 victories and 51 consecutive sets won on clay, which is incredible. All of these statistics and records are incredible. It’s extraordinary, as if you were not a human being.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no. I am, of course. I think that there are things I understand today better than before. I work daily; I practice daily; I meet these objectives daily without really thinking about them.
Each time you’re on the courts, you know, you know that you might lose, as well; you might be defeated. So I have to keep a low profile about it; we have to be humble.
By the way, you know, these statistics don’t come out of the blue. This is the result of the work I’ve put in day in, day out.
Also it’s thanks to this desire that I have to improve that I’ve had all of these results. Without all of these ingredients I couldn’t have done what you have said, all of these numbers that I was not really aware of.
Then I’ll have to continue and practice and work and keep my focus until Sunday so that I can continue and then finish the season. So far I got off to a really good start. I’m really satisfied with what’s happened.
I’m really happy about the things that life has given me so far.
Q. Some of your points were incredible, and the games, as well. There was one where you were on the clay seated; that was incredible. Has this happened to you before, to win a point this way?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think so. I think in Wimbledon almost the same type of situation, a passing shot. I can’t remember how I won the point or not. It was either Wimbledon or Queen’s. I think I got the point once against Federer, the other one against Djokovic.
So Federer was the finals at Wimbledon, and Djokovic was at Queen’s, I think, almost. So I fell at that moment, but I knew I could still hit the ball. You know, I wanted to come to the net but the ball had not bounced high enough, so I couldn’t volley and I fell.
In any case, my eyes were always on the ball. I’m not saying it’s easy. I didn’t feel like it was easy. But my eyes were constantly on the ball.
Then when I realized I couldn’t volley, I thought, Okay, it’s still within reach. I can hit it, I thought.
Q. In a nutshell, since 2005 how did you manage to learn more and more? How did you acquire more and more experience? Would you say that your tennis today is richer than before?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yes. You know, you constantly learn new things. You have to remember a number of things, a number of ingredients. Sometimes you might lose some of these ingredients.
Maybe I’ve lost some of my energy. When I was younger I could rally longer, I think. Everything was a novelty for me. Today perhaps there is less novelty about it for me.
But otherwise I think that tennis will very much depend on the surface you play on. The game will be different on a different surface.
As I said before, that is, during my first press conference, I said, In the past I will try and play as many tournaments as I could. Now I play half of the tournaments on clay compared to what I would do in the past.
I think that in terms of my moves, I move better on clay. I don’t feel as much electricity as I felt in the past, but I think that it’s true to say that my tennis has improved.
Q. In another conference you said that this year you have more confidence, you’re more aggressive, you play better tennis compared to last year’s tennis. You also said that this started in Australia, even though you were defeated in the finals.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yes, if I lose again I will say exactly the same.
Q. The question is: You’ve played excellent tennis in Australia; that was your best level probably. Now with your victories against Djokovic in Rome and Monte‑Carlo, would you say these victories were very important for you so that you could come up with this level of tennis at Roland Garros?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no. You know, these are two victories, okay, but you can win only if you have enough confidence, if you’re serene.
You know, this level, I had it in Australia already. This is when it started, even though I lost seven points in a row in Australia, I think.
However, my level in Australia is similar to today’s level. The surface was faster, the conditions were more complicated, but yet I played an excellent type of tennis. I was defeated during the finals, which might again happen this year.
So after losing the finals in Australia, I thought, however, I’m satisfied. I played good tennis. I’m satisfied with my tournament so far.
I was sad because I had been beaten; yet I was proud, proud of my style, the way I had fought back. There was a passing shot, a backhand along the line which I missed, which was otherwise easy.
But that’s sports, you know. We have to accept this. And the fact of winning or losing is one thing, that’s true, but we should never forget the reality of things. I won in Rome and Monte‑Carlo because my tennis was better against Djokovic.
Maybe I’ve won today because my level was better. And the fact of beating and defeating Djokovic, that’s true, gave me more confidence. Sometimes you have positive streaks; sometimes you have negative streaks. They don’t come out of the blue.
So it’s all very nice to look at things from a distance or afterwards. But one should be careful in doing this so as not to come up with misconstrued ideas. We have to look at reality.
If today I win a match, that’s okay. If I lose one, it’s due to a number of ingredients. That’s life. You know, that’s sports. We shouldn’t look too far or too deep for reasons sometimes.
Q. I think sometimes that you said in Australia you found your way. Where did you find this new path, this new way? Was it in New York or somewhere else?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, in New York, that’s true, mentally I was better. I was more demanding. I know how far I can go, which is something I couldn’t do before; whereas in Australia, in Melbourne, I decided to try and find his limits, the opponent’s limits, because I believed in what I was doing.
Mentally the situation was different in Australia, in Melbourne, compared to the US Open. According to me, I was mentally better in New York.
Found once again at FreedomTennis
RAFAEL NADAL: Today?
Q. Yes, today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure was one of my best matches in this court, yeah. I think I played really solid match with not easy conditions out there, a lot of wind.
In my opinion I did almost everything right, because my serve worked very well, changing directions. My backhand was the best day so far today. The forehand, I hit well the forehand during all the tournament. Today wasn’t an exception.
But probably today the only difference is today I played close to the baseline and last day when I came here after the match after Almagro, I say that I would like to play a little bit more closer to the baseline, more inside, than the last match.
I will need to try to beat against the next opponents. I did today. I am very happy; sorry for David. He deserve it. He’s a great fighter. He’s always there week after week.
Sure, it’s very important victory for me, and to win with this result against one of the best players of the moment, one of the best players of the world, is because I did very well. If not, is impossible to win against David like this.
Q. How close to perfection is your game at the moment?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t believe in perfection, no? I really don’t like to talk about perfection, because that, my opinion, doesn’t exist. You can play always better.
But, sure, I am very happy the way that I am playing. Probably today was my best much on the tournament. That’s fantastic, play my best match in one semifinals and against probably the more difficult opponent that I play here.
Q. It’s easier to break serve on clay? You have been broken only once in the tournament. It’s pretty amazing. How can you explain that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I say the other day, sure, is easier to have breaks on clay. But I say the other day, the first two rounds, in my opinion, I didn’t serve very well. My serve didn’t work very well.
But I only lost one time my serve in the first round against Bolelli. In the second set I think. Or the third, second, I don’t know, but I was 4‑Love, 30‑Love.
I played very well from the baseline during all the tournament. I played without mistakes. But that’s true, after the first two rounds my serve started to work much better.
And the combination of serving well with good percentage, changing directions. After that, we followed that with very good game from the baseline. Playing aggressive with my forehand with no mistakes is more difficult to have breaks.
But, anyway, only lose one time is a coincidence, because I have break points against. I saved a few ones like today on the beginning with lucky.
Is impossible only arrive to a final of Grand Slam with only one break on clay without a little bit of lucky in some moments. But that’s true that probably I saved less moments than usual with my serve.
Q. You’re obviously totally focused when you begin a match. Are you a bit surprised, disappointed, that a Grand Slam semifinal, the first set, the stadium is half empty, particularly around the court?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. Is the timing probably wasn’t the best. 1:00 is probably not the best timing. That’s the reason, no, in my opinion. I played almost every day ‑‑ I can’t say every day with a full court.
Is not disappointing when you play since the first round, you know, with full crowd, full stadium in every round and you arrive to the semifinals, you play 1:00 in the afternoon. At 1:00 is a little bit early, no? I see after, at the end of the match, the court was almost everything full.
The normal thing, in my opinion ‑‑ I don’t remember very well, but last couple years we started at 2:00? 1:00, too? Always at 1:00?
I had the feeling that we started at 2:00. I don’t know why.
Q. There was one great point during that rally with more than 30 strokes. You fell on your back. How did you react? What went through your mind when you slipped? And then afterwards, what do you think about such a point? What does it say about tennis?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, is a combination of a few things, you know. Confidence, because I was playing well in that moment. I was playing better and better, and I fell down ‑‑ it was in the second set or beginning of the second, probably, yes, with 30‑All.
So, you know, I came from a few very good games after the 2‑1 against me in the beginning of the first. I played like five, six games, very solid ones, playing better and better in every moment.
So you arrive to this situation, 30‑All, you play a fantastic point, you fall down, but seriously I saw the ball all the time. Sometimes even if I lost the balance of my ball and I fell down, I was watching the ball in every moment.
So even if I am on the floor, I had the time to hit the ball in reasonable good position, no? That’s all.
Q. You lost two games to Juan Monaco in a previous round, very good player, highly regarded player. Today the No. 6 player in the world gets five games off you. What do you think that says about the level of competition to you on clay, on this surface, at the moment from the rest of the players?
RAFAEL NADAL: The level of competition always is very high. We cannot expect to have less competition this year than last year. For example, that I saved a few different difficult matches. I lost matches on clay.
The reason is probably playing one of my best levels on clay the last couple of matches. That’s the reason of the results. You know, I only remember these results on me in 2008 here.
To have these results always you have to unify a little different facts. Today, for example, I saved a very important point at 2‑1 in the first set. You never know if he have the 3‑1, he was playing better than me at the beginning of the match, just beginning, and you never know what’s going on.
But that’s tennis; that’s the sport. Sometimes you feel great. Seems like everything is going in your favor. Sometimes you feel the opposite.
But the reason is I am playing well since the beginning of the season. I am having almost perfect clay court season, and we’ll see what’s going on in the final. It’s gonna be a very tough match, and doesn’t matter what’s happened during all the tournament.
That’s going to be a special match against No. 1 or No. 3 of the world. I will see what’s going on, because it will be a very difficult battle for me.
Q. I got the microphone three questions ago, and now you answered a bit. So you’re more confident than ever now the way you’re playing since this is the fourth time already that you are in the final without losing a set? This is different from the other times when you got to the final without losing a set? Are you even more confident because you are playing much, much better, you don’t give any chance to any player or?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. The only thing that I don’t think is I am in the final without losing a set. The way that I think is I am in the final; I am playing well; hopefully I can play one more match at this level. That’s all.
Difficult to compare the feeling of 2008 with 2010, with 2011, because every year you have a different feeling, different situations, different experiences you arrive with. You know, you are very much older, I am today.
The experience give me that you can lose when you are playing fantastic; you can win when you are not playing that well. You have to be with calm, with feet on the floor and fighting every ball, and try to be ready for Sunday. Hopefully I will.
But more or less confidence than 2008 and 2010 or 2005, that really doesn’t matter, because only thing that’s going to matter is how I’m going to play on this Sunday.
Q. We’re now guaranteed that 28 of the last 29 Grand Slams have been won by three players, whoever wins the semifinal. But can you give some thoughts on this kind of dominance from three players? Never really seen that in men’s tennis before.
RAFAEL NADAL: I am not the right one to say that probably, because any word I will say will sound arrogant maybe. So that’s not the way that I like to answer the question. So you can answer, and other people.
But I think that’s much the answer, no, because is difficult for me to answer this question.
THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions, please.
Q. We saw you when you were there on the court. Nelson Monfort was speaking in Spanish and you were answering in French. Why? Well, by the way, this was a good thing to do; we could understand you clearly.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, French and Catalan are languages that are quite similar. You know, at the end of the day there are a few words that I’ve learnt, you know, after coming here.
Sometimes I dare; sometimes I wouldn’t dare to speak French.
Q. You’ve probably said this in English, but I’d like to ask you how you feel now that you’re going to play the finals. Are you as happy as before, that is, the previous years?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, thank you very much. I’m really glad. I’m highly motivated, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I’m really happy. I’m looking forward to it.
And, you know, you can’t save a country if you’re not motivated enough, if you haven’t got enough energy. You can’t look forward to it. So I’m really very happy and looking forward to the finals.
Q. It’s your seventh finals here in Paris. What does this mean for you now that you’re going to play the finals?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, you know, this means I play well. I’m playing a good type of tennis. I’ve improved since last year, and things have turned out quite positively for me since the beginning of the year.
And then I’ll be playing the Grand Slam finals, which is something quite special for me. This tournament is special for me. I’m really happy to reach this level, that is, the finals.
Considering what’s happened so far, I’d say this tournament has been excellent for me, and then we’ll see what happens next, what is is going to happen during the finals.
I mean, if I were to win I’d be very happy, but the best thing for me is to reap the fruit of these so many years of work.
I’d like to change my style a little and be more aggressive, slightly more aggressive. Anyway, I’m really happy to reach the finals irrespective of what might happen during the finals, because I’ve improved. I’ve gone a notch up, if you will.
My level has improved slightly against last year’s. I’ll see if I win or lose. But I’m satisfied and happy, because I’ve already improved.
Last year I had the impression I didn’t really play that well; whereas this year I’m playing really well. But that’s sport, you know. So far, so good.
I’ll still practice and work on a number of things. Of course, on Sunday I’ll play my best tennis.
Q. You’ve said you’ve gone a notch up or you’ve gone through a step. Do you think you’ve reached your best type of tennis on clay, or close to it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don’t really remember. Are you talking about 2008 or are you talking about 2010 or 2005? I don’t know. You know, it’s a bit complicated. I don’t really realize.
But anyway, the thing I can tell you is that I’ve changed a number of things in my game. My level is still very high, which is something very positive. It’s equally important to have the right feelings, and to have the impression that you’re improving is something important.
It counts to be motivated. I’m still very much eager to learn and do things all the time better and better.
This is what motivates me, what makes me happy. I’m not talking about my results, which is the logical consequence of what I’ve just said. But my objective, as I’ve always said, is to always improve day after day.
Q. As we’ve said, it’s your seventh finals here at Roland Garros. The score was 6‑2, 6‑2, 6‑1. You have 51 victories and 51 consecutive sets won on clay, which is incredible. All of these statistics and records are incredible. It’s extraordinary, as if you were not a human being.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no. I am, of course. I think that there are things I understand today better than before. I work daily; I practice daily; I meet these objectives daily without really thinking about them.
Each time you’re on the courts, you know, you know that you might lose, as well; you might be defeated. So I have to keep a low profile about it; we have to be humble.
By the way, you know, these statistics don’t come out of the blue. This is the result of the work I’ve put in day in, day out.
Also it’s thanks to this desire that I have to improve that I’ve had all of these results. Without all of these ingredients I couldn’t have done what you have said, all of these numbers that I was not really aware of.
Then I’ll have to continue and practice and work and keep my focus until Sunday so that I can continue and then finish the season. So far I got off to a really good start. I’m really satisfied with what’s happened.
I’m really happy about the things that life has given me so far.
Q. Some of your points were incredible, and the games, as well. There was one where you were on the clay seated; that was incredible. Has this happened to you before, to win a point this way?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think so. I think in Wimbledon almost the same type of situation, a passing shot. I can’t remember how I won the point or not. It was either Wimbledon or Queen’s. I think I got the point once against Federer, the other one against Djokovic.
So Federer was the finals at Wimbledon, and Djokovic was at Queen’s, I think, almost. So I fell at that moment, but I knew I could still hit the ball. You know, I wanted to come to the net but the ball had not bounced high enough, so I couldn’t volley and I fell.
In any case, my eyes were always on the ball. I’m not saying it’s easy. I didn’t feel like it was easy. But my eyes were constantly on the ball.
Then when I realized I couldn’t volley, I thought, Okay, it’s still within reach. I can hit it, I thought.
Q. In a nutshell, since 2005 how did you manage to learn more and more? How did you acquire more and more experience? Would you say that your tennis today is richer than before?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yes. You know, you constantly learn new things. You have to remember a number of things, a number of ingredients. Sometimes you might lose some of these ingredients.
Maybe I’ve lost some of my energy. When I was younger I could rally longer, I think. Everything was a novelty for me. Today perhaps there is less novelty about it for me.
But otherwise I think that tennis will very much depend on the surface you play on. The game will be different on a different surface.
As I said before, that is, during my first press conference, I said, In the past I will try and play as many tournaments as I could. Now I play half of the tournaments on clay compared to what I would do in the past.
I think that in terms of my moves, I move better on clay. I don’t feel as much electricity as I felt in the past, but I think that it’s true to say that my tennis has improved.
Q. In another conference you said that this year you have more confidence, you’re more aggressive, you play better tennis compared to last year’s tennis. You also said that this started in Australia, even though you were defeated in the finals.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yes, if I lose again I will say exactly the same.
Q. The question is: You’ve played excellent tennis in Australia; that was your best level probably. Now with your victories against Djokovic in Rome and Monte‑Carlo, would you say these victories were very important for you so that you could come up with this level of tennis at Roland Garros?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no. You know, these are two victories, okay, but you can win only if you have enough confidence, if you’re serene.
You know, this level, I had it in Australia already. This is when it started, even though I lost seven points in a row in Australia, I think.
However, my level in Australia is similar to today’s level. The surface was faster, the conditions were more complicated, but yet I played an excellent type of tennis. I was defeated during the finals, which might again happen this year.
So after losing the finals in Australia, I thought, however, I’m satisfied. I played good tennis. I’m satisfied with my tournament so far.
I was sad because I had been beaten; yet I was proud, proud of my style, the way I had fought back. There was a passing shot, a backhand along the line which I missed, which was otherwise easy.
But that’s sports, you know. We have to accept this. And the fact of winning or losing is one thing, that’s true, but we should never forget the reality of things. I won in Rome and Monte‑Carlo because my tennis was better against Djokovic.
Maybe I’ve won today because my level was better. And the fact of beating and defeating Djokovic, that’s true, gave me more confidence. Sometimes you have positive streaks; sometimes you have negative streaks. They don’t come out of the blue.
So it’s all very nice to look at things from a distance or afterwards. But one should be careful in doing this so as not to come up with misconstrued ideas. We have to look at reality.
If today I win a match, that’s okay. If I lose one, it’s due to a number of ingredients. That’s life. You know, that’s sports. We shouldn’t look too far or too deep for reasons sometimes.
Q. I think sometimes that you said in Australia you found your way. Where did you find this new path, this new way? Was it in New York or somewhere else?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, in New York, that’s true, mentally I was better. I was more demanding. I know how far I can go, which is something I couldn’t do before; whereas in Australia, in Melbourne, I decided to try and find his limits, the opponent’s limits, because I believed in what I was doing.
Mentally the situation was different in Australia, in Melbourne, compared to the US Open. According to me, I was mentally better in New York.
Found once again at FreedomTennis
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Rafa's Press Conference Transcript
Once again, this was found via FreedomTennis
Q. Can we say that today it was a really first good test of the tournament for you because it was interesting match?
RAFAEL NADAL: The tests are every day, no? If the No. 14 or 15 of the world is not a test, against Monaco it's a good test. At the end, you know, the match wasn't that difficult.
But before the match was a real test for me, because Monaco arrived to the match playing probably one of the best levels of his career, clay court specialist. At the end wasn't the right test, because I won with comfortable result.
No, today, sure, you cannot expect more than a test. It's a quarterfinals. It's a difficult match. You play against win of the best players of the world and especially one of the best players of the world in this surface.
Sure, you cannot expect to win an easy match in quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, quarterfinals of Roland Garros. Was a tough one, but I am through and I am very happy.
Q. In the third set Almagro was hitting the ball very well. He was close to the break. What was your feeling at that moment?
RAFAEL NADAL: Just try to wait for my moment. That's true that I was a little bit ‑‑ he had chances in the third. He had a few very good moments hitting the ball very hard. But I had ‑‑ with 1‑0 I had a few deuce; with 3‑2 I had a break point; with the 4‑3 I finally had the break, no.
So I had my chances too. It's true that he had a few chances, important ones. But my serve worked really well, and he had one mistake, one important mistake with the forehand.
He had the control of the point in that moment, but wasn't very easy to hit that forehand. He tried to hit, in my opinion, not the right ball. He had the mistake.
My thoughts in that moment just I am two sets up; wait for my moment; try to play aggressive when I have the chance. Because was very difficult to play aggressive against a player who, from the first ball, hit the ball that fast, no, and with that power.
I tried when I had the chance, and I played well mentally in the third. My serve was important, sure.
Q. Have you watched any part of Djokovic's and Federer's matches yesterday? If yes, what have you been thinking about it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I watched the first set and second of Federer here. After, I went back to hotel and on the TV I saw Tsonga and Djokovic, yes. Federer wasn't ‑‑ the France, they didn't show Federer match.
So I saw the Tsonga and Djokovic one, and was a good match to see. My opinion Tsonga played fantastic for moments. He was a little bit unlucky, that's the true. But in my opinion, he had two mistakes in two match points, important ones. The first was a passing shot with his backhand. He hit the ball probably in the worst place to hit, against the forehand volley of the opponent.
So his chances was volley and backhand, not forehand, in my opinion, but is very difficult in that moment, no. After, he hit the ball to the net with his forehand with another match point. It probably wasn't the right ball to hit. He had to wait a little bit for another one.
But that's the game. That's the sport. Both players deserve to win. Djokovic saved a lot, fighted a lot, and he maintained his focus.
So anyone would be the right winner, but finally it was no Novak. Well done.
Q. Can you tell the world about David Ferrer? He's still playing right now, but what in his game, if you play against him in the semifinal, could possibly annoy you? Do you think he could annoy you even more than Nicolas?
RAFAEL NADAL: Nothing new. We played each other a lot of times. We played in Barcelona, and I won 7‑6, 7‑6. His game bothers everybody because he's one of the best players in the world in every surface, in clay especially.
Everything, he's a complete player. It's very difficult to play against him, because his movements are probably the best of the world, and he's able to hit the ball very early a lot of the times.
If it's David, will be a very tough match. I had a very tough first set in Rome against him. I had tough first set in Barcelona. I was able to win, but anything can happen in that set.
But at the end, don't forget it's semifinals of Roland Garros. Against who do you want to play? You have to play against the best of the world. The only way to be in the final of a big tournament like this is playing your best tennis.
If I want to be in the final, my only way is play aggressive, play my best tennis. That's what I going to try.
Q. Just to follow up on the match yesterday, Tsonga/Djokovic, obviously Tsonga missed one forehand but Djokovic played very aggressive and bold on the match points. Do you have some thoughts on what is the source of the ability to do that? Is it calmness? Is it experience? Confidence? How is a player able to make those shots with so much on the line?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, we can talk a lot about these things, but at the end is a feeling. You have to be brave to do it in that moments. But for some reasons, these players who are the best in the world, players who are No. 10, players who are No. 20 and No. 30 and No. 50, No. 100, that's the real thing.
In the end, let's talk about not that moment, because that's at the end of the day, a little bit of lucky, little bit of everything. It's like when you talk about the return of Djokovic in semifinals of US Open last year against Federer. You are brave to do it that, yes, or you are crazy.
So, you know, anything can happen. It's a little bit of lucky, little bit of everything, little bit of you are good, you are with confidence. But yesterday we cannot talk about that moment, you know, personally, no?
Because that's a limit situation and anything can happen. He did very well, but the first forehand that he hit against the backhand of the Jo was almost on the line. So the ball can go out. That's the true.
But a player like Novak probably create more chances to save opportunities like this. Not in match point, but to save tough matches like yesterday that he's in a trouble situation, difficult one. He's fighting. He put another ball inside the court, and he puts pression all the time on Tsonga.
Probably another kind of player playing against Tsonga, very inspired, playing in front of his crowd and playing very well don't going to fight that much, no?
But I tell you, that's question is why he's No. 1 of the world. That's all.
Q. Rafa, you said that there are major and minor records to beat. You have seven semifinals like Federer, just you two, plus a third one. Since I lost a bet once with you, if you know who's the third one, we can bet on that and I'll tell you 10 minutes after the press conference.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry. I don't know. Can you repeat? You are very focused on the records this week and I am not.
Q. I'm saying just only you and Federer have made seven semifinals at the Roland Garros, plus a third player. Just asking if you have any idea who could be the third one. That's it. I'll tell you later.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, because Borg won six times but I think that he lost against Panatta both.
Q. This is a question from fans. We're moving away from tennis for two seconds. They know that you are a big fishing fan, and they would like to know the biggest fish you caught, and has it ever been so big that it scared you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Disappointing, no. No, I am not that good. I'm an amateur at fishing. When I go, I go with friends who really knows what to do. When I am able to have time and holiday and go, I go.
But, you know, the problem with fishing is, one, you have to go early in the morning. It's not because I don't like to go early in the morning. I love to wake up early and go for fishing, but I practice in the morning. That's the thing, no?
My uncle will not be very happy if I tell him that today I going to practice in the afternoon because I go for fishing. That's the problem, no?
THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions.
Q. Up until now you've only lost one set. You saved a certain number of difficult balls, and I think your confidence is growing.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, in fact you need to face the situation. It's true if I'd not lost any set and not lost my serve, it would have been a miracle. It's just impossible to achieve that. You need to face the facts.
In all tournaments where I made it to the quarterfinals or semifinals, when I went deep in the tournament I needed to have a very powerful serve. Sometimes there are matches when you can turn the match around.
But it's true that this year my serve works very well, and I managed to turn a match around in Monte‑Carlo or Barcelona or even in Rome. I lost my serve, but on very few occasions.
So I think you have to be consistent. But it's true that I served better during the two last rounds. During the very first rounds here, my serve was not well adjusted. I was making mistakes and I was playing from the baseline quite a lot.
Today I managed to score the most difficult points and I had a very good serve. So when you serve a winner, then it's perfect. At the moment everything is fine.
Q. Rafa, in 2010 we're talking about your quarterfinals against Almagro. Did you think about this match before you played him today, or was it a match during which Nicolas played better?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it was 7‑6, 7‑6, 6‑3 in 2010, so I did not remember that match so much. But last time he was playing better than me. During the tiebreak I was very aggressive. I played well.
The third set was more clear. But at the beginning of that match he played very well. His serve was exceptional. At the end of the third set I was playing much better. I was moving much better on the court.
The third set was similar to the match we played today. It was 6‑3. But this time he hit very hard. He really went for his shots. He played very well.
I think at 3‑2 he had a beautiful return. I made a few mistakes. I think the one big mistake I made was with my footwork on the court. Otherwise I played well. I gave everything I had. I played well when I had to save a point.
And when I could start attacking, I did. When I could be aggressive, I was.
Q. You've reached the semifinals, and you know that Djokovic suffered a bit against his opponent. Would you say it can be helpful to you? And Federer's match was long, as well.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, this won't have an impact. They'll have two days of rest, so everything is fine. It's true that against Del Potro it was a very strange match.
Well, I didn't see the whole match. I watched the other one. But after I saw what I saw, I was very much surprised. 6‑2, 6‑Love, Del Potro/Federer, I did not understand exactly what happened during that match. But with two days' rest I don't think they will have any problem.
Q. You played eight matches against Almagro. There were five tiebreakers and you won them all. When you reach a decisive moment, you make the difference. This is why you have very good statistics. What would you say about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the answer is yes and no, because matches are not all decided at one very specific time. I can't remember all of the results, but if you talk about tiebreakers, let me see. In Madrid he was leading. He had a break point. There were three tiebreakers during the last matches I played here.
Might have been the others were in the US Open or Bercy. Bercy, yes. You're right. He almost won; 40‑Love when he was serving. Yes, you're right. You're right.
But the surface is totally different here, and it was at the end of 2009 when I was not in a great shape. I think these are well deserved semifinals. Very tight matches were Madrid and Paris. I was very lucky.
But winning a tiebreaker, you can't say you can win a tiebreaker with just a few points. I mean, it was 5‑7, and during the three other matches I won in three sets. Another one, I can't remember which, but result was very close.
But sometimes you can lose and set, and then things can be more complicated. You can lose confidence. We could talk about it for hours if you'd like. I was a bit lucky. The most important is that I managed to get through.
Q. I wanted to ask you a question about David Ferrer. He is up 5‑3 in the third set. You said he deserved more than his result. What would you say?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't want him to go too far, too deep in the tournament, but of course he deserves a lot. He's a great player.
Apart from the fact that we get on very well together, his tennis is impressive. He is very consistent. He gets exceptional results. He is very consistent, and has been for many years.
His season on clay has been great so far, except in Monte‑Carlo when he was a bit tired. But he also played the Davis Cup; he played Barcelona. Okay, let's not talk about his quarterfinals in Madrid and semifinals in Rome. But each time he played with very beautiful tennis.
He only lost to me in Barcelona and Rome, and the matches were very close. I think he made it to the quarterfinals in Miami, if I'm not mistaken. That was against Djokovic. So he would only lose to the best in the world, and he sometimes wins.
So I would like Ferrer to be able to win not just here, but also in Bercy and other tournaments. He has already won quite a few tournaments.
To be honest, I don't hope ‑‑ I'm not hoping he wins here. I won't tell you the opposite.
Q. What about the other semifinal? Considering Federer and Djokovic's level, would you say that Djokovic has more chance to win?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know. It all depends on how you feel personally. If Djokovic feels confident at the moment, it has to do with your mental state.
I don't know who is going to win. It's the one who's going to play best the day after tomorrow. You can't analyze this. These are matches in which the best players in the world are very close.
Who would have said last year that Djokovic and Federer ‑‑ that Federer would win last year? I mean, this is a sport in which you can't make any prediction. It's just impossible.
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Novak Made It
Oh My God, what a match to witness. Ready thought that Jo had got him but Nole found a way. Here is a transcript of his press conference.
Q. It has been confirmed that you are going to do an exhibition match in Brazil in November. Are you excited about it? Have you ever come to Brazil? Would you like if the opponent could be Guga?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes, it’s the first time now that I talk about it. It’s confirmed. I’m really excited because I never been in Brazil.
I heard all the best things about your country. Of course, Guga is the biggest tennis legend there. I would like to play with him. It’s still not decided. Even if I play with Thomaz will be great.
Just the experience of being in Brazil makes me very happy.
Q. You actually played a little bit like Pele out there today. On those match points, how is it you’re able to raise your game and play such astonishing tennis when it’s such a big pressure occasion?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: There is really not any rational explanation or a word that can describe what you’re supposed to do when you’re match points down or when you’re losing and you’re very close to lose the match.
It’s, I guess, trying to be mentally tough and believing in your shots. Obviously a little bit of experience that I had playing on this level for last five, six years. I did have some matches similar to this one when I was match points down and managing to come back.
So I don’t want to be wise now and say, Okay, I know you how to play when I’m match points down. Because as I said, there is no explanation. I’m just going for the shots. I’m glad I was aggressive in these moments and, you know, it paid back for me.
Q. It felt as if being so close to being out unlocked something in you, because you seemed to produce from then the best level that you’ve played in the tournament by the look of it.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, this level, this level of tennis is very mental, you know, lots of emotions. If you’re playing top player and home favorite and you have a crowd that is supporting him incredibly so, you have to face all these things.
Physically, we are all ready, we are all fit, and we are all hitting the ball well. But it’s a matter of, you know, just couple of points here and there will decide winner. That was the case.
I mean, if he would win he would deserve the win, no doubt. But, you know, that’s sport. The one that mentally, I think, pushes more maybe in some moments and obviously gets also a bit lucky and gets the win, you know, that’s how it goes.
You know, ones you win, ones you lose, but the more important thing is to try to take the best out of these matches and enjoy them, you know, because as a tennis player, this is what you live for. This is what you practice for all these years, you know, to be part of incredible performance, incredible match encounter here in Roland Garros, you know, with the home players.
I’m really glad that I could win today.
Q. In today’s match, Tsonga’s level, did it kind of surprise you? Because at some points you opened your hands in disbelief to some unbelievable shots he was doing. Was it more the winner’s spirit than anything else?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, for the set and a half I played great. Jo was making a lot of unforced errors. He wasn’t serving the way he was serving after that.
So, you know, I think I felt good on the court. Then I played one bad service game, and that’s when the momentum changed, you know. He got crowd on his side, big support. He started serving whenever he was in trouble.
Break balls second, third, fourth set, he always served it out, and really big, which is not something that happened for the first time. He tends to play always his best when ‑‑ you know, when the pressure, he comes to the net and hits the ball. That’s why he’s one of the top players.
Yeah, it was incredible. I mean, at some stages, even though I thought I was returning really well and I was in the point, he just went for everything. He was playing, in my opinion, incredibly well.
But in the end, I managed to breakthrough.
Q. Last time I guess you said just the serve was working well. What about your performance today? Was it any better? Did you feel the ball better?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, yeah, I felt much better. I really think that even though I was very close to lose this match I still played really well. Because my opponent as well, I have to give him credit for his performance, as I said.
But we played a very good quality match, I think.
Q. The moment when you sort of came up awkwardly after a backhand shot, looked as though perhaps you may have injured yourself. I was wondering what exactly you did there and how worried you may have been in that very moment.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, at that very moment I didn’t know what to expect and how the leg would react. But it was the hamstring full stretch, you know, and it was a very quick, very sharp move.
So luckily for me there was no consequences.
Q. You’ve talked many times about the experience you’ve gotten in big matches. Could you talk a little bit about how that helps you at these moments? Is it just knowing how to play or getting used to the emotions? What is it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, as I said, it’s a very small part of today’s case, you know, that experience of playing on a big stage. It does have its own part and role of today’s win and comeback that I had, but the bigger part is just staying composed, you know, and believing in your shots, really.
I mean, Jo has equal amount of experience playing in the big matches. He played finals of Grand Slams and he’s top 5, top 10 player for the last couple of years. I didn’t play anyone who is unexperienced at these moments, at this stage.
I mean, as you could see, whenever he was very close in important moment he went for the shot, so that’s what I did, as well.
You know, one of us had to win.
Q. Today was quite a match. If I could ask you to look ahead for a moment ‑ special semifinal coming up ‑ I’m wondering, first of all, if, to you, there is a special meaning in facing Federer again here in the semifinals after last year, and what maybe sticks out in particular from last year’s match for you.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, another great semifinal. I don’t want to talk too much about Roger. We all know his quality and can always expect him to perform his best at this stage of the tournament.
He came back from two sets down today. We both played tough matches in last two rounds. Now we’re going to have two days off and expect exciting semifinal.
You know, last year we were part of a great match that went the distance, and he played incredibly well. I thought I played on a very high level. I just hope we can have another good match for us and for the crowd to be a part of.
I think for me it’s crucial to be very focused and aggressive from the first moment, because that’s something that you can always expect Roger to have, you know, that control over the opponent from the start. I will try to be out there believing I can win.
Now there is no really favorite for that match. It’s semifinals, so everything is open.
Presser found on FreedonTennis A wonderful Blog.
Q. It has been confirmed that you are going to do an exhibition match in Brazil in November. Are you excited about it? Have you ever come to Brazil? Would you like if the opponent could be Guga?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes, it’s the first time now that I talk about it. It’s confirmed. I’m really excited because I never been in Brazil.
I heard all the best things about your country. Of course, Guga is the biggest tennis legend there. I would like to play with him. It’s still not decided. Even if I play with Thomaz will be great.
Just the experience of being in Brazil makes me very happy.
Q. You actually played a little bit like Pele out there today. On those match points, how is it you’re able to raise your game and play such astonishing tennis when it’s such a big pressure occasion?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: There is really not any rational explanation or a word that can describe what you’re supposed to do when you’re match points down or when you’re losing and you’re very close to lose the match.
It’s, I guess, trying to be mentally tough and believing in your shots. Obviously a little bit of experience that I had playing on this level for last five, six years. I did have some matches similar to this one when I was match points down and managing to come back.
So I don’t want to be wise now and say, Okay, I know you how to play when I’m match points down. Because as I said, there is no explanation. I’m just going for the shots. I’m glad I was aggressive in these moments and, you know, it paid back for me.
Q. It felt as if being so close to being out unlocked something in you, because you seemed to produce from then the best level that you’ve played in the tournament by the look of it.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, this level, this level of tennis is very mental, you know, lots of emotions. If you’re playing top player and home favorite and you have a crowd that is supporting him incredibly so, you have to face all these things.
Physically, we are all ready, we are all fit, and we are all hitting the ball well. But it’s a matter of, you know, just couple of points here and there will decide winner. That was the case.
I mean, if he would win he would deserve the win, no doubt. But, you know, that’s sport. The one that mentally, I think, pushes more maybe in some moments and obviously gets also a bit lucky and gets the win, you know, that’s how it goes.
You know, ones you win, ones you lose, but the more important thing is to try to take the best out of these matches and enjoy them, you know, because as a tennis player, this is what you live for. This is what you practice for all these years, you know, to be part of incredible performance, incredible match encounter here in Roland Garros, you know, with the home players.
I’m really glad that I could win today.
Q. In today’s match, Tsonga’s level, did it kind of surprise you? Because at some points you opened your hands in disbelief to some unbelievable shots he was doing. Was it more the winner’s spirit than anything else?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, for the set and a half I played great. Jo was making a lot of unforced errors. He wasn’t serving the way he was serving after that.
So, you know, I think I felt good on the court. Then I played one bad service game, and that’s when the momentum changed, you know. He got crowd on his side, big support. He started serving whenever he was in trouble.
Break balls second, third, fourth set, he always served it out, and really big, which is not something that happened for the first time. He tends to play always his best when ‑‑ you know, when the pressure, he comes to the net and hits the ball. That’s why he’s one of the top players.
Yeah, it was incredible. I mean, at some stages, even though I thought I was returning really well and I was in the point, he just went for everything. He was playing, in my opinion, incredibly well.
But in the end, I managed to breakthrough.
Q. Last time I guess you said just the serve was working well. What about your performance today? Was it any better? Did you feel the ball better?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, yeah, I felt much better. I really think that even though I was very close to lose this match I still played really well. Because my opponent as well, I have to give him credit for his performance, as I said.
But we played a very good quality match, I think.
Q. The moment when you sort of came up awkwardly after a backhand shot, looked as though perhaps you may have injured yourself. I was wondering what exactly you did there and how worried you may have been in that very moment.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, at that very moment I didn’t know what to expect and how the leg would react. But it was the hamstring full stretch, you know, and it was a very quick, very sharp move.
So luckily for me there was no consequences.
Q. You’ve talked many times about the experience you’ve gotten in big matches. Could you talk a little bit about how that helps you at these moments? Is it just knowing how to play or getting used to the emotions? What is it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, as I said, it’s a very small part of today’s case, you know, that experience of playing on a big stage. It does have its own part and role of today’s win and comeback that I had, but the bigger part is just staying composed, you know, and believing in your shots, really.
I mean, Jo has equal amount of experience playing in the big matches. He played finals of Grand Slams and he’s top 5, top 10 player for the last couple of years. I didn’t play anyone who is unexperienced at these moments, at this stage.
I mean, as you could see, whenever he was very close in important moment he went for the shot, so that’s what I did, as well.
You know, one of us had to win.
Q. Today was quite a match. If I could ask you to look ahead for a moment ‑ special semifinal coming up ‑ I’m wondering, first of all, if, to you, there is a special meaning in facing Federer again here in the semifinals after last year, and what maybe sticks out in particular from last year’s match for you.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, another great semifinal. I don’t want to talk too much about Roger. We all know his quality and can always expect him to perform his best at this stage of the tournament.
He came back from two sets down today. We both played tough matches in last two rounds. Now we’re going to have two days off and expect exciting semifinal.
You know, last year we were part of a great match that went the distance, and he played incredibly well. I thought I played on a very high level. I just hope we can have another good match for us and for the crowd to be a part of.
I think for me it’s crucial to be very focused and aggressive from the first moment, because that’s something that you can always expect Roger to have, you know, that control over the opponent from the start. I will try to be out there believing I can win.
Now there is no really favorite for that match. It’s semifinals, so everything is open.
Presser found on FreedonTennis A wonderful Blog.
Saturday, 2 June 2012
Friday, 1 June 2012
I Spoke To Rafa In His Press Conference!
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe how lucky I was yesterday. I got to ask Rafa 3 questions in his press conference after the Istomin match.
In the video my questions are the first 2 then the one about his birthday (which is rather funny).
Vamossssssssssssssssssssss
Press Conference Video
I can't believe how lucky I was yesterday. I got to ask Rafa 3 questions in his press conference after the Istomin match.
In the video my questions are the first 2 then the one about his birthday (which is rather funny).
Vamossssssssssssssssssssss
Press Conference Video
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)