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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 17, 2016

Rafael Nadal

Cincinnati, Ohio

R. NADAL/P. Cuevas

6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations. How do you think you played today considering the short turnaround time from Rio and the change in conditions from Rio to here?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I played well, no? I think I played a good match against a tough opponent in the first round for sure for me.

After coming from Rio and after the marathon that I had in Rio, it's very important victory for me, no? So very happy.

Q. The USTA is installing some Hawk-Eye type technology in a lot of training courts to give players more data. They have a practice court like that in Indian Wells. Do you think that sort of technology could help a player at your level in their training?
RAFAEL NADAL: During the practice?

Q. You play like on a Hawk-Eye court and you can look after and see how you're hitting the ball, where it's landing, speeds.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know anything about this technology.

Q. Do you think that's where technology may be able to help you in your career?
RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) No, I really don't care much about these kind of things. I think all the things that makes sport better are positive, and in this case, if the US Open is introducing something new, it's a good thing.

But I don't have the idea and I don't have the information, enough information to have a real opinion.

Q. I think condition and surface here is very different from Rio. Kei just said this year maybe the surface changed a little bit. The ball bounces higher, and he feels the surface got really slow compared to couple of years ago. Did you feel the same way?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I feel is always the same. Happens thousands of time in my career, no? When you come back, when you come to a different place, the conditions are different, the weather is different, the surface is a little bit different. So is always the same, no?

When we are playing Toronto and Cincinnati or MontrÃ©al and Cincinnati, you know, when we are coming here after MontrÃ©al the surface here looks slower. When we are coming here after Toronto the surface looks very fast, no?

So depends on the last feeling you had on court. Rio the surface was slower, and we go here and here looks very, very fast, no? So that's the real thing, no?

I don't know if the surface change, but always seems that changes. Depends on how is the feeling on the previous week.

Q. What happened at last night in Rio, the night after everything finished and you were leaving? There was a tweet or couple tweets to say they didn't let you into a restaurant or something in Rio.
RAFAEL NADAL: No.

Q. No?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, we were late. That's the real thing, no? We were with the team and we had the plane late and we went for dinner. Was the final of the 100 meters and we were arriving late to the restaurant, so we stopped in the middle of the road to -- I saw a television and I say to the driver they can stop, and we stop to watch the 100 meters there in the middle of the street in one television, and then we arrive late to the restaurant and the restaurant was closed.

That's it. Then we looked for another restaurant and we were lucky and we found.

Q. You obviously draw a lot of I think energy from being able to see your team during the match. You look back at them after good points, after you win the set, after you win the match. How much do you think you get out of being able to look at them and fist pump at them and have them looking at you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I always had a team spirit, no? I always enjoyed playing more for a team than just myself. Even the same when I was a kid that I was playing football. I always feel a little bit more, I don't know, more special when you are not competing only for yourself, no?

So always with my team I always had a great relationship. When we are on court it's normal you have the feeling with them.

Q. On that team question, would you like to see the Olympics add some sort of team tennis event format to make it different than a normal tournament, like an IPTL-type format?
RAFAEL NADAL: In the Olympics?

Q. Yeah, as a new event. Some people think it should be different from a normal, individual tournament. Some sort of team aspect.
RAFAEL NADAL: If you want to add another competition in the Olympics will be great, in my opinion. Only thing is you need more time and better people doing the schedule. That's for sure.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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