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MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAÃº

March 31, 2017

Fabio Fognini

Miami, Florida

R. NADAL/F. Fognini

6-1, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations for a really good tournament.
FABIO FOGNINI: Thank you.

Q. Can you tell us if something was troubling you in the first set? Conditions? Injuries? Just maybe not focused? What happened in the first set?
FABIO FOGNINI: I mean, I was feeling good also during the warmup. So we had bad luck today. Was really a lot of wind. But that was on the both side. That's not an excuses.

I think I was missing a lot of balls. That's for sure, because I am giving like a present the first set to Rafa Nadal 6-1. It's difficult to compete after. Even if I play much better the second set; I had my chance.

I was really surprise about his serve, that he serve really, really good today. And of course no, me no.

And at the end, I think we have a great fighting, even if he had more chance than me on the second set. I think I had bad luck, especially on that dropshot that was unbelievable, it was really good, on 3-All.

Q. (No microphone.)
FABIO FOGNINI: Yeah, yeah. Then of course I was thinking about that. I made double fault. But that's not the point.

You know, is two different match today. I think first set was no match. I was playing really bad.

Second one when I was starting to play my tennis, I think he was feeling that I was feeling better and better and few points was going to decide the match.

Q. When he came out of his shoe you had a good laugh on that. Have you ever seen that before?
FABIO FOGNINI: Only with him happen then. That's really strange.

Q. It seems like you have moments where you're making brilliant shots and then a moment with a mistake. Has that been the main thing, just consistency?
FABIO FOGNINI: That's for you inconsistency, and I say yes. For me, I have my opinion, but that's the sport. He play better than me. For sure in the first set was no match because I give him like a present the first set.

Then when he was playing my tennis, I know that I have backhand, forehand, I have the shot that I can compete with him. So that's two different story.

You know, happy of course because I play great tennis during the whole week. Not happy for sure about this first set, but I was playing with a great champion like Rafa.

Q. Did you have a problem with the elbow a little bit?
FABIO FOGNINI: Yeah, it's not only today. I mean, it's the last few week, especially of course this week I had pain on my wrist. Then start moving between elbow, and then I have also a little bit problem on my heel on the left one that long time ago had fasciitis.

At the moment I'm really tired. I have these two kind of pain that I would like to treat home when I go back. You know, that's the sport. I mean, if I play, I can play with pain, because it's always nice compete on this level; it's nice playing with a great champion like Rafa.

Even if Nishikori was not 100%, with Nishikori it's never difficult play with him, so happy about my performance this week. Looking forward to play a great tennis on clay next week.

Q. On the one hand I know you're very sad about losing, but on the other hand are you very happy? Will you go home now to see your lovely Flavia, pregnant wife? And will you say, Move over, I'm coming in the bed because I'm hurting?
FABIO FOGNINI: Yeah, it's two different kind of thing. I mean, next week we have Davis Cup, so the team is going on Sunday.

But I would like to take few days off. That's the first thing. I need to recovery. That's the most important thing at the moment. The priority is recovery. The second one of course is Flavia; the third one is Davis Cup.

I would like to be 100% of course. That's my goal at the moment: recovery well, going home and check of course with the doctor if it's something okay I can still compete or not, and if okay, I am ready to play. Davis Cup, I always enjoy, always like to play for my country.

Q. Do you think that getting to the semifinal in an event like this, does it give you even more confidence going forward that you can reach these levels in these big tournaments?
FABIO FOGNINI: I had this level. Last year I had really bad injury at the beginning of the year. I finished 40, 45. But I know that with my tennis I can compete at this level. It's not the first time that I play matches with Rafa. Of course this is the best result on hard courts, but I've said I really enjoy the game they play on hard court.

So it's not problem about tennis.

Q. You've just touched on speaking about Davis Cup and the importance of it. What do you think Italy's chances are for the next tie? Look ahead to the next quarterfinal.
FABIO FOGNINI: In English or in Italian?

Q. In English.
FABIO FOGNINI: All the week you tell me Italian. (Laughter.)

No, I think we are really good team. Of course, I mean, right now I have to say is that it's not my priority in the sense that I would like to explain that the priority now is recovery because I couldn't move. I am really tired. I have two different pain on my body. I was talking to him, one is the heel and one is the wrist.

Second one, of course I would like to check if it's something wrong. If it's okay, it's better, okay, let's play, because I would like to play for sure. We are really good team. We are really good friend.

Of course is really tough match because we play in Belgium with Goffin. The last two years he have really good tennis, really solid. And Darcis start really well the year.

So I think it's a tight match, of course. We will see the condition over there in Belgium. At the moment I would like to enjoy this week, recovery well, and of course going to Flavia, because it's a lot of time that I -- it's 63 days that I away.

Once I recovery well and I feel good, the medical say that everything is okay, of course I'm ready to play the Davis Cup.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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