MC: Post final presser transcript
Photo by SEBASTIEN NOGIER/ AFP/ Getty Images
Rafa’s post-final presser transcript is up:
Q. Do you think you played the perfect game on serve and return today?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think never nothing is perfect. That’s the true. I played a very, very good first set, in my opinion, very solid after he start very good in the first game. He had 15 30. The second game, the serve was very important. The three serves saved my game in the second game.
After that I’m happy how I played the first set. My serve worked very, very good. Sure, I had a few free points with the serve. But most important thing, after the serve, I had the chance to go inside with my forehand a lot of times, so this makes a big difference, no?
First set for me was very, very important. I played a very high level. Second set he had much more mistakes than usual.
I was so enjoying that serve today. So enjoying it. Nice placement and good speed.
Q. Nobody would like to take anything away from your eight wins in Monte Carlo, which is a great achievement. But today didn’t you feel that Djokovic wasn’t the real best Djokovic?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, Djokovic wasn’t the real best Djokovic. In other finals that I played against him, I wasn’t my real best, too. But the real best are both. My real best is when I play well and when I play bad. The real Rafa is not only when I play my best. The real Rafa is when I play well, when I don’t play that well.
If I take that for myself, the same for the others.
Djokovic had amazing one year and a half, having always perfect, no mistakes. Today, yes, he had more mistakes than usual. I won 6-3, 6-1. Win 6-3, 6-1 is for sure not normal to win against the best player of the world today. But happened. Very happy for my victory. Sorry for him. But that’s sport. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes you play fantastic, sometimes you play normal, sometimes you play worst.
Today I played a very good first set. In my opinion, he didn’t have a very bad first set. In the second, yes, but not in the first.
I think “normal” is a good word for how Djokovic was playing. He wasn’t playing top-notch tennis and it just got worse since Rafa was.
Q. It seems to me that you put more speed on your first serve. Do you agree with that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I had the right feeling on the first serve. I served a little bit more wide than usual. The speed was between 178 to 198 almost every serve. If you have the right percentage, that’s enough. If you put the balls to the right places, is enough speed. And today was a very high percentage, in my opinion, very good directions, no? So I’m very happy.
Very good directions – I loved all the time he handcuffed Nole.
Q. What is the secret, you have won many tournaments, but you win one tournament eight times? What is the secret about Monte Carlo? You have wind, soft ground. Is this the reason you play every year on such a high level?
RAFAEL NADAL: I always loved this tournament, seriously, since I was a kid. One of my dreams was play here. Is a historic tournament that you see all your idols when you are a kid playing here. Is a tournament that I think everybody wants the right to play.
To have eight victories, the first thing that must happen is lucky because you have to be in the right way, no injuries, perfect conditions for eight years in a row. That the first thing.
Second thing, you have to be playing almost perfect to win eight titles in a row, especially in a Masters 1000. Best players of the world play always. You have to win against the best. If you see the finals I win here, all the finals are against probably top six players. That’s something that makes the victories even more difficult, no?
So a few facts must be unified finally to happen this very special situation, and happened, so very happy. Just can say thank you very much all the organization, all the people who came here support me year by year, all the people who make possible this tournament. Is fantastic because probably is one of the best organizations of the world.
Awww, *sniff* he so loves it there.
Q. In what time during the final did you feel you were going to be the winner?
RAFAEL NADAL: With the 5-1, 40-15. That’s the feeling. But when you lose seven times, when you are in Australia have 4-2, 30-15, easy backhand down the line, that stays in your mind, no? So to break this confrontation about the seven loses, you have to be very focused all the time, no?
Even with the 5-1, before the game, I didn’t know if I going to win. I know I am in a very good position to win, but always with the humble, with the calm that everything can happen.
Thank good he stayed with colm and didn’t get too nervous to serve it out.
Q. You have a lot of reasons to be happy today. What is the biggest reason for you to be happy? The fact you beat Novak or that you won this tournament again?
RAFAEL NADAL: The first thing for me is I win Monte Carlo. The Monte Carlo is the more beautiful 1000 tournament for me. To start the clay court season winning here is amazing feeling. I said before, but this tournament is very special for me. That’s the first reason.
Second reason, my level of tennis was high during the last four matches, since the second round. My level of tennis was very high. Today the first set was the higher moment during all the week, no? For that reason I must be very happy.
Sure, the last win against Novak in final after a few ones losing is for sure important result for me.
You must be happy – and so must we.
Q. You’ve had to withstand quite a few upsets in finals recently. How satisfying is it to beat the world No. 1 and win one of these trophies again psychologically going into the rest of the year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure, is important, very important break the bad (losing streak). So is important to break that situation. Is important to win the tournament another time. Especially what tournament is. Is not same one tournament than another. Break that situation, winning Masters 1000, one of my favorites, is everything perfect today.
Tomorrow will be another day practicing in Barcelona to be ready for the tournament. Very happy for that. The only thing that can give me this victory here is the positive energy to keep working hard, to keep try my best every day.
Right now just start the clay court season better than possible without losing a set. But next tournament, have a tough draw in Barcelona, a lot of good players there. Have to be ready for that. I have to try.
Didn’t lose a set in the tournament…yes, everything is perfect today.
Q. You came into the tournament a bit worried about your knee. Do you feel totally happy with the knee now?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am very happy because my knee is not limiting me no one movement. I can run 100% of conditions. That the most important thing. I still feeling little bit. You have pain, but you feel you can run to every ball, the pain never is a problem. Today, that’s the situation, and I’m very happy.
I doubt he’ll ever be pain free while playing tennis, but sounds like it’s at a manageable level now – a good new.
Q. Do you plan to train more light for the upcoming weeks?
RAFAEL NADAL: I plan to keep practicing like always usually. Normal practice, try to be ready for next week. Going to be important week for me. Always play in Barcelona is a special feeling. Try to have just little bit of practice tomorrow and a good practice on Tuesday and try to be ready for Wednesday.
Another tournament with a special feeling? Rafa, you’re a whore. ;)
Q. Six wins in Roland Garros, eight wins in Monte Carlo, what stands out more first? Today when you broke Djokovic five times, he never reached deuce. How do you explain this?
RAFAEL NADAL: I said before, if you want I repeat, but my serve worked well.
Q. On his serve.
RAFAEL NADAL: Okay, I didn’t understand the question.
I said yesterday in the press conference that I have to return a little bit more aggressive, I have to return a little bit longer. I did. I did a very good backhand return, very long ones. After that, against his forehand, try to not opening a lot the court. When you open the court to him, against most of the players you are in a good situation, but against him not, because he’s able to open you more later with the next shot.
So try to hit long, but more to the middle. Then I try to have the control of the point with my forehand. Understood that he didn’t serve perfect, but when I was able to return the ball, my returns was almost every time very good, no? The few important ones very high, along with my forehand against his backhand, in the advantage position. After that I felt that I can change the directions.
So, he tried to take the angles away from Nole by making him generate his own.
Q. Yesterday you said it was a little bit too early to face Djokovic. Actually it was not too early to face him.
RAFAEL NADAL: Finally not (smiling). But that was my feeling yesterday. I am not lying you. I told you what I really feel, no? I felt that against Simon I played very long points and I felt a little bit more tired than usual because I didn’t practice a lot my fitness for the last three weeks. That was my feeling.
But today I played aggressive. I had a few long rallies. But at the same time I tell you the match against Wawrinka and Simon helped me to be more fit for the next matches because play long points, your body does better.
Yes, much more aggressive and a lot of nice deep balls from Rafa today – it was wonderful.
Q. Have you made a decision if you want to play for the Davis Cup?
RAFAEL NADAL: Remain a lot of months to play the semifinals of Davis Cup. I cannot think about that having the Barcelona tournament next week.
Q. You will make the decision later?
RAFAEL NADAL: I will make a decision. My body will take the decision. I was thinking to play maybe in the second round against Austria at home, because was a great week for me to prepare the clay court season, practicing one week there with the best players. But my knee says not.
I cannot predict the future. I don’t know how I gonna be after the US Open. Let’s go day-to-day. If all the situation are the right one, hopefully I will be there. But depends on a lot of things.
I hope his knee doesn’t say not again. He can still decide not to play, but I want it to be a decision, not something forced upon him.
Loading ...
Rafa’s answer to the “Nole isn’t in his best form” question is so true and well-put.
“No, Djokovic wasn’t the real best Djokovic. In other finals that I played against him, I wasn’t my real best, too…The real Rafa is not only when I play my best. The real Rafa is when I play well, when I don’t play that well. If I take that for myself, the same for the others.”
I agree with you completely. I hope there won’t be a lot of focus on Nole not playing well. Rafa has it exactly right. Rafa didn’t play well in some of the matches he lost to Nole, either. Nole still got the W. Rafa came pretty close to winning the AO but didn’t. That’s sport. Nole is human and not unbeatable. An important point to make and lesson to be learned from today. Psychologically very important.
I was thinking the same. I don’t mean to sound harsh, I know Nole was in grief, and I think it’s great the way he fought all those matches while having lost his dear grandfather, but there is always a reason why someone loses. There was a reason Rafa lost those first finals against Nole, he wasn’t in his best either. The losses that followed were more…psychological than they were technical, in my opinion. But still that didn’t take anything away from Nole’s achievements. It should be the same when Rafa wins.
I’m so happy Rafa can put all that into words so clearly even though he does not express himself in his mother language. And he does it without sounding nasty. Well done boy, on so many levels.
I wonder if Dolgo, Haase or Berdy watched the final? Especially Berdy…man, he should have won that one.
Anyways, as always, the presser brings is all together. Win or loss, Rafa’s pressers are the best. I wish him many many many winner’s pressers this season! :D
A competitor states, at some level, they are willing and able to compete, although sometimes they are inhibited physically or mentally at some level. An opponent has the obligation to compete to the best of their ability that day. So in some way, the notion of an “*” next to a win (making an excuse) means nothing. Each person agreed to compete to best of their ability.
Rafa has played injured, Nole did today, knowing full well how he felt and what it would take. We have seen others withdraw in some circumstances and others just persevere to complete the match. Thinking about Rafa/Murray Rottersdam – Rafa ended up basically on one leg through 2 sets. The other person has to be focused and proceed to compete no matter what other person is going through.
No ** next to any final results has any real meaning.
Love Rafa being able to explain about good and bad days. Every athlete has that experience, it is still their best on the day.
I’ve always felt that asterisks were for people who can’t handle reality.
Well put!
Hear, hear.
Yes asterix means nothing. I had said earlier that if Novak was good enough to reach the finals then he is good enough to play his best. No one cares that Federer never beat Rafa at the French. The fact is he beat whoever was across the net and won the title and completed the career slam.
Hi there..I’m sorry.but my mind is in a blur ..maybe from all the excitement of watching rafa win his 8th MC yesterday..but what is this isue about an ASTERISK appended after a win? is it from an article about the Monte carlo Finals? Hope someone can explain or provide me a link to this said article..Thanks..
I think, and please correct me if I’m wrong, that an asterisk after the win means it’s not a clear one, because the player who lost had a reason for not playing his best, like for example Rafa being injured or Nole having lost his grandfather. As if in yes, he won, but his opponent was sick, injured, or in this case grieving. Putting the asterisk sort of implies it’s not certain Rafa would have won if Nole hadn’t been in this difficult emotional situation. I’m just explaining, please do not think I agree with that.
Yes, the figurative use of the term is clear, but I’ve yet to see an asterisk actually used in print to denote an unclear win. Just wondering where that was done.
I don’t think it has actually been used in print. My impression is it has only been used figuratively.
The first “asterisk” that I’m aware of happened long ago when Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth’s home run record (American baseball) long ago. The then commissioner of baseball infamously decreed that it should go in the books with an asterisk (and a footnote) because the basebsll season was a bit longer than when Ruth set the record.
But if you start putting games in record books with asterisks due to player condition it gets silly fast. Nole’s first AO slam would get one since Roger would surely have won their semifinal had he not been suffering from mono at the time. Roger didn’t win his FO because Rafa only lost to Robin Soderling because he was so badly shaken by his parents’ marital woes. Roger’s win in AO in 2009 only happened because Rafa was totally exhausted from his brutally long and physical semi final vs Verdasco – oh wait, Rafa won anyway and, in fact, outlasted Fed in that match. Sometimes guys aren’t in perfect condition and still win. Sometimes they are but still lose.
It’s like what I once heard Rafa say about his loss to Delpotro at USO 2009 when he had a bad abdominal tear. “DelPotro was playing at a very high level. He would have won that match anyway, but I wouldn’t have lost it 2 2 2.”
Excellent analogies! Anyone who thinks otherwise is a djoke. You go Ramara! Thanks for defending our boy.
I don’t follow baseball so I wouldn’t know about asterisks there, but I obviously agree with your take on tennis.
Ok..I understand that part already actually.I was asking because I haven’t seen any PHYSICAL asterisk next to a score i.e. “asterisk” printed in any tennis article..So i thought I had missed a news article or something..
So it’s just a figurative Asterisk then, not in any news article..okay..
Where do the asterisks appear? I haven’t seen those.
I haven’t seen it either..that’s why i asked in which article/news?
Julie,
I found the physical ASTERISK in this article by Chris Chase (Busted Racquet blog). It’s in the last paragraph.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tennis-busted-racquet/rafael-nadal-broke-losing-streak-novak-djokovic-does-161831878.html#remaining-content
Splendid response. Couldn’t put it any better.
Agree completely. Every match will be asterisked if we start doing that.
“Another tournament with a special feeling? Rafa, you’re a whore. ;)”
lol
Yeah, I loved that too!
So interesting that he said he was deliberately hitting into the middle of the court! I kept wondering why he was hitting towards Novak rather than running him from side to side the way he does with other players. I was getting frustrated with how often he just kept knocking it back… I should have trusted that it was part of the game plan, but after the last year of losses, I guess I lost faith! No more! I believe again! VAMOS!
Yep it sounds like absurd tactics but it worked. I was wondering why he did that too, but then again he was doing it so consistently at some point that I had to think it was on purpose. There’s a reason why Rafa is a professional athlete and I’m not ;-)
Yes I was wondering the same. Why was Rafa hitting the ball back to Djokovic? I had known that he shouldn’t open up the court to Djokovic and I had thought the way to prevent Djokovic from opening the court further was to create even more angles. Turns out hitting the ball to the middle is the answer :) sometimes we think too much, and the answer is in fact quite simple. I noticed that in USO last year, Rafa had already started hitting more to the middle to Djokovic. Rafa and team clearly know what they are doing…Rafa had told us it would take time to practice what he needs to do to counter Djokovic.
I love how Rafa was hitting the ball with so much more depth!
Some news from the tweets: Tio Toni said Rafa went back to using the USO 2010 serve. We will see how things pan out from here on. Hope the serve doesn’t cause him more problems.
Meanwhile, let’s get ready for Barcelona!
And if we check Joker’s post match transcript its so bad on the part of media that they repeatedly tried to question him as if this loss would really count.. I mean when Rafa was out in FO-09 he was playing in so much pain that he had to quit for a month(including skipping Wimby), no one says that Rafa lost FO as he was injured, it was all about Rafa’s first loss and Soderling the man to beat, then why its the other way now.
The way both these guys have explained the victory and losses in post final presser is applaudable.
I don’t believe in this Asteriks thing. If Nole was in grief he would withdraw, but instead he chose to play and lost. In general, the most important issue that hinders players playing their best is injury I suppose and Nole was perfectly healthy.
Rafa will end this so called Asteriks in Madrid, Rome, and Paris at last for the seventh heaven. Vamosss.
BTW, I loved Rafa’s after match behaviors. He made no signs of over joy and acted very classy.
I think all this asterisk bussiness in the press is getting ridiculous!
If the opponent “mental block” is a reason to put an “asterisk” to somebody’s win then all Djokovic’s wins over Rafa last year deserve one!
Vamos Rafa!
r