Miami: Post quarterfinal presser transcript
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/ Getty Images
Rafa’s quarterfinal presser transcript:
How would you rank your level on that match?
RAFAEL NADAL: My level? It wasn’t one of my best matches. That’s the real thing.
I didn’t play very well tonight. I think I started match playing really well, but later when I had the break at the second, after the break of the second, I don’t know which game I had the break of the second, but after that I started to play more defensive, no? To close the match, I played very bad. That’s my feeling.
Before, no. Before, I believe Jo had much more mistakes than usual. That’s makes the match make the match less complicated for me at the beginning.
But, you know, when he started to play a little bit better and I have advantage in the score in the second set with the break, I started to play more defensive. Finally, I played a really bad game serving for the match at 5-4, and then he started to play better. That’s the true. And I happy about my third set.
Don’t remind me of that game! Please – I beseech you.
The third set looked like you were having the same scores in the first set.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry?
The last set, he was about to break you again second set, I’m sorry. The third set, the last game was, you know, a very tough game. Were you worried at that point that, you know, that you…
RAFAEL NADAL: I had a few break points again in the last game serving for the match another time.
You know, losing the second set, serving for the set, stays on my mind when I have to serve for the match another time in the third.
So I arrived at that moment, and anything can happen. That’s the true. I didn’t play very well the last game, as well. But I was able to find solutions and to go to the net a few times and to hit good shots.
I was lucky with one mistake of Tsonga with his forehand. He was unlucky he broke his strings.
So that’s the thing. Finally I won. That’s it.
Funny, “finally” was the word I used too.
Can you explain why you played more defensive? Do you know why? Confidence?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t know. Seriously my feeling was Jo was he was having much more mistakes than usual, so the match didn’t have the right rhythm.
When I arrive to that moment to serve for the match, you know, for moments I didn’t know if I have to play more aggressive, I have to play just defensive because, you know, he was doing almost everything, having few winners but at the same time having lot of mistakes.
So for moments I had the feeling that just playing solid without risk was enough for moments. So when I arrived to that last game, I really didn’t had the right line how to win the points.
So that’s the thing. My serve was bad. I really served bad tonight. Much worse than the previous days.
I understand it being difficult to get into any rythym when playing someone playing as irratically as Tsonga was. Totally. But are his instincts that far off these days? I guess that explains the nerves…
You said that you played well the beginning and then you played bad as the match was going on. Do you think it’s a fitness issue?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. Well, I have problems on my left knee. That’s the thing. I’m not feeling great. I don’t know what’s gonna happen in the next match, because gonna be a big match against one of the toughest opponents on tour, and probably I don’t arrive in my perfect conditions to that match.
But, you know, we talking about physical performance, I am feeling great, no? I am not tired today now after three hours’ match. My fitness is perfect. It’s not a problem, that. I don’t know the problems.
Don’t know the problems…how frustrating for him.
Andy Murray in the semifinals. You each have a mutual respect for each other. What do you think of that matchup, meeting here in Miami for the first time?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always playing Andy is a pleasure for me, and exciting playing against a player like him that push you at the limit on everything.
The negative thing is I have to recover well. I have to improve my knee if I really want to have any chance to win.
If not, gonna be almost impossible. But always is fantastic being in semifinals, first two Masters 1000s of the year, being in both semifinals in hard court are fantastic results.
So happy in that. Right now hopefully I can recover and can enjoy the match.
I’m going to keep my fingers crossed!
He was saying that he had too many complaints to the referee at the end of the game, that he had to challenge too much because the referee never say out, because he has a feeling that the referee doesn’t want to say out against you. He says that.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, well, that’s…
What is your feeling?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I understand sometimes the frustration on this situations, no? Because that is true that the referees with the Hawk Eye are doing less overrules than before. I said hundreds of times, too, no?
But is not because he’s playing against me. No, no. Happen to me a lot of times, no?
Easy to remember. In Australia, you remember against Berdych the very important points 6-All in the tiebreak of the first set? So he didn’t make overrule, too, and ball was clear out.
So I called the challenge late and the point was for Berdych.
So is not a thing with me. Is a thing, general thing with the referees today that with the Hawk Eye I believe that they feels that they have less pressure than before. So probably knowing that you have the challenge, they don’t take the risk to have to overrule.
He’s right in one thing; he’s wrong in another thing.
I think they have more pressure when over-ruling since they can be proved wrong, thus they are less willing to over-rule and defer the responsibility to the player to challenge the call. When you are having a bad day, it’s human nature to think things are conspiring against you. I remember an old cartoon: long lines in the grocery store with a thought bubble coming up from the last person in every line, “Why do I always pick the slowest line?” But, I do think Tsonga was a bit out of line with those comments. Did he just say them on court – heat of the battle – or after as well? I haven’t had time to check.
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something on tsonga:http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/tennis/wires/03/29/3000.ap.ten.nadal.tsonga.umpire.1st.ld.writethru.0286/index.html
Tsonga: Ump gave Nadal preferential treatment
AP – Thursday, March 29, 2012
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP)—Jo-Wilfried Tsonga accused the chair umpire of giving Rafael Nadal preferential treatment during their quarterfinal at the Sony Ericsson Open. Nadal said that’s not the case.
Nadal, bidding for his first Key Biscayne title, won 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in a match that ended shortly after midnight Friday. Tsonga complained during the match and afterward that when borderline calls went against him, umpire Damian Steiner was reluctant to overrule.
“It’s not fair,” Tsonga said. “If it’s really close, he would never say ‘out’ against Rafa. If Rafa doesn’t like him anymore, he would not be in the chair many times in a final and semifinal.”
Tsonga said he lost his concentration because he became so focused on watching the lines in case he needed to challenge a ruling. Many players contend that since the advent of the Hawk-Eye replay review system, which allows players to challenge, umpires are less inclined to overrule linesmen.
“I understand sometimes the frustration on this situation,” Nadal said. “It’s a general thing with the referees today that with the Hawk-Eye, I believe that they feel that they have less pressure than before. Probably knowing that you have the challenge, they don’t take the risk to have to overrule.
“He’s right in one thing; he’s wrong in another thing.”
Did he just say them on court – heat of the battle – or after as well?
miri, it was at 5-4 for Rafa in the third set…..I don’t know if he said the same thing after the match.
He said them at presser too.
I think Tsongas’ complaints are unjustified. He should look to his own level of play not throw around unjustified criticism. I think sadly that the French Tennis players are under performing. They seem unable to meet the expectations they generate and some of them lash out. Monfils is great to watch so much of the time, like Tsonga; yet Monfils keeps buckling in hard matches and goes out. They are suffering great frustration but that is not a reason to think all the umpires are magically under Rafas’spell or talking about “magic potions”. The Spanish players are also very talented but I have not noticed players or officials in Spain slagging off other nations players or making accusations of cheating. This is not the sportsmanship we should expect and I wish they would get a grip and grow up.
It’s great that Rafa responded to Jo’s irrational comments in such rational and mature way. But it’s a shame that this has caught so much attention. My sense is that Rafa and Jo have always gotten along well – and Jo gave Rafa the old pat on the cheek at the end. I agree with Miri that it must be coming from a need to find some explanation for how badly the match went for Jo, other than himself. But still — pretty immature and unfair to Rafa. Whatever is going on with the umps and the overrules generally, no one else seems to be buying that Steiner was favoring Rafa.
Yes, it is unfair to put Rafa in the middle of this. Jo is making a serious accusation against the umpire and he should deal with that with the umpire or referee – not at his press conference.
AS usual, Rafa’s honesty shines. I had thought the Tsonga outburst on coirt was due to the pressure of the moment. It was surprising to hear him say the same things at his presser.
Methinks the presence of the hawkeye can’t be easy on the umpire too. To overrule and to be proven wrong by the hawkeye is very very stressful.
I’ve read that Rafa didn’t appear today for practise… weird. Actually, if he pulls out of the tournment, that woudn’t be a bad ideia. Even don’t know why he went to IW with problems in his knees. He should get a treatment, rest for 3 weeks and only later go to Miami. Now, we don’t know how things will gonna happen on the clay season. That was a dumb decision.
I think Rafa feels obligated to play as much as he can. In theory he is bound by the rules of the atp to play if he is fit; this is his job and he loses money if he retires and he also disappoints his sponsors,family, and fans if he withdraws from any competition. So it might be dumb but actually being Rafa is more complicated than being a fan and sitting on your bum watching the Tennis on tv.