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ROLAND GARROS

May 20, 2016

Rafael Nadal

Paris, France

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Roger Federer will not play this year Roland Garros. Do you think that Roland Garros will be different for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Different for me?

Q. Different, yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I think for me is not changing much, no? But I understand that for the fans, for the tournament, for the world in tennis in general is a very negative news, no?

But the same happened with Madrid and with Indian Wells, Miami, with Dubai, no? Every tournament that a big player like him is not able to play is negative news for the world of tennis.

Q. Are you happy with the sensations you have had at the start of the week? At practice, everything is going well?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am doing my best in every moment. I hope to be ready for the action. You never know.

Q. You've got Sam Groth in the first round. What are your thoughts on that matchup, and what are his big threats that you can see?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he has a huge serve, no? He's uncomfortable first round. He's a difficult one. You know, need to be ready for suffer a little bit during the match, because I know he gonna be difficult to have breaks.

I hope to be ready to stay focused mentally and to compete well.

Q. Organizers of the tournament will increase the security here because obviously of what happened in Paris in November. How important is it for you to feel safer here because of what happened? Also, I think three years ago there was an incident on the court when someone ran on, which was obviously quite a distraction for you. How important is the increase?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think about this, no? I feel safe. Always I feel safe when I am here in Paris, and that's it, no? What happened was terrible news, but it's past. I believe that people who organize the event and the whole city is 100% focused on make the event safe for everybody, not only for the players. For the fans and everybody.

Q. How do you measure your confidence coming in this year compared to, say, last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, I don't want to compare. I am well into 2016 now, and I played a few good events in a row.

So I hope to continue playing well here. That's all what I can say. That's all my goal: keep going the same way that I am playing, and if it's possible to play even a little bit better and better.

But I'm happy the way I have played since Indian Wells. A lot of tournaments in a row playing well. I need to just keep going.

Q. What does it feel each year to be back here in your stadium?
RAFAEL NADAL: It's always great, no? It's always a special feeling when you're able to come back in such a beautiful and important place. But especially for me, because it's the most important place in my career without a doubt.

Just excited and enjoying every moment that I had a chance to play here at Roland Garros.

Q. Most of the time you came here as defending your title. Does it feel any different this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. No, no. Well, it's better be here defending your title than not. But at the same time, it's obvious that it's impossible to have the same feeling every year. (Smiling.)

I had that feeling a lot of times in my career, but I'm not arriving with this feeling this year. At the same time, I am excited. The goal still always the same if you are defending or you are not defending, no? Doesn't make a big difference on what you want to do.

Q. You're the most successful player at this tournament. I'm just wondering, do you think that consciously or subconsciously you feel like a different player here? And secondly, does it matter to you at all to break Martina Navratilova's record of nine majors at Wimby winning a tenth here?
RAFAEL NADAL: I even didn't know that record, but, no, I don't feel a different player here. Not at all. I feel like every week. It's true that I had a lot of success here and it's true that I like the tournament. I like the organization. I feel very comfortable with all the staff here in Roland Garros. I know all the people who run the tournament.

I feel a little bit like home because I have a great relationship with all of them, and that makes the event even more special for me.

In terms of being a tennis player, it's a tournament that I know I can play well. If I am playing well, I know I can do good things. That's it. No, no, I don't think much about if I am different or not. I know the court adjusts well to my game because it's so big, and the topspin - not these two days - but if there is the sunshine there and the court is a little bit drier, my game adapts very well to this court. Only thing that I need is play well.

Q. You were practicing with Andy today. It's not that common among top players hitting together. I don't think you practiced with Novak or with Roger. Is that something different with Andy that makes it easier to practice with him than with other big rivals?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I don't know. I don't have a problem to practice with nobody. I am always open to practice with any player, no?

I don't know. I didn't prepare the practice. That's the real thing, no? With Toni and his coach I think in Rome or Madrid they fixed the practice for today, and that's it. For me, I really don't care. I can practice without any problem with Novak or with Roger. No problem.

Q. You came to the tour as a youngster. Now your 30th birthday is approaching very fast.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. (Laughter.)

Q. Do you sometimes think, Oh, I'm an old guy? How does it feel?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. You feel old?

Q. Sometimes.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I'm not feeling old. On court is true that I had a lot of years here on the tour, but in terms of mentality and in terms of life I feel myself young. That's it.

No, no, I don't think about I gonna be 30. Something that I don't -- even if I don't think is a real thing. (Laughter.)

You know, time never stops. Nobody stops the time. That's not a good thing, but at the same time, I am happy with my life. I enjoyed all these years on the tour, and I hope to keep enjoying the next couple of years.

Q. In January at the Australian Open you and Toni talked about the value of using the Babolat racquet with the computer chip in your training. Is that proving to be very helpful? How is it going with that?
RAFAEL NADAL: We are using that for more than one year. No, no, it's not a new thing. It's since January 2015 we are using that, and it's doing well. It's helpful for a few things.

At the same time, I think it's something interesting for the amateur people that they can check a lot of things on his game. Is true that I think going to be very something very important for the next generation of players.

For us, it's helpful, but at the same time we play without that for 20-few years.

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