Nadal's transcript vs. Dolgopolov: Rafa is so philosophical and funny!
Interview with Rafael Nadal (Indian Wells, March 10, 2014)
http://rafaelnadalfans.com/2014/03/11/interview-with-rafael-nadal-indian-wells-march-10-;2014/
Excerpts:
Q. Explain your feelings in the match. What happened?
Rafa-You can lose. I lost today. Congratulate him. He played I think better than me. That’s it. Life continues.
Gonna keep working hard to try to be ready for Miami.
Q. You mentioned the other day after your match with the back that you were afraid to hit your serve normally. I’m wondering if you felt the same today or…
RAFAEL NADAL: I served much better today than the other day.
Q. More normal?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am better with my back, so it is not a question with the back.
Q. The great thing about tennis, or one of it, is that it’s a cycle. In less than a month or so the tennis will turn to the clay season. You do so well on the clay. You feel so comfortable. Could you talk about what your feelings are when the clay season comes around, what you feel inside, and do you think you should be favored as the favorite for the French Open?
RAFAEL NADAL: I won on clay when I was playing well on clay. If I am not playing good tennis, doesn’t matter if it’s clay, hard, grass, or I don’t know, new surface. (Smiling).
I had a lot of success on clay during the last probably nine, ten years. It’s obvious that is a surface that probably help me to find the right feelings. But clay doesn’t mean success. Is a surface that I know how I have to play. In the end, it’s a tennis court. If you are not playing at the top level, I don’t going to have success on clay. Happens the same this year than years in the past. And talking about French Open, remain a lot about the French Open. My goal is try to be one of the candidates.
To be one of the candidates, I need to play well in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome to arrive with the right feelings. That’s what I gonna try.
Q. You played him recently. He’s never beaten you. Did you find that he was doing anything different tonight tactically against you?
At the end I have to analyze my part and opponent. I cannot talk about the opponent because what the opponent does is not in my hands. I can talk about what is in my hands, and what is in my hands I didn’t play enough solid today.
Q. You said you had good feelings in practice coming into the matches. So is it unusual that you are feeling very good in practice and then when you get to the match you don’t find the same level?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, is unusual.
Q. It’s unusual.
RAFAEL NADAL: When I am practicing well, normally I play well because I am a good competitor. That’s what happened most of the times in my career. Maybe I’m not a good competitor anymore (smiling). I am joking. Is not drama. Is lose. I accept that. Try to rest few days and be fresh mentally, and I hope to be ready for Miami.