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ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2017

Rafael Nadal

Paris, France

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. What can you say about your first opponent, Benoit Paire?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, is not an opponent you want to play against in the first round, no? Player with big talent. Great serve, great hands. Fantastic backhand, no? Is dangerous opponent. Yeah, that's it. I need to play my best. Let's see.

Q. Is it almost hard to think how far you have come in the year since -- I remember your press conference here was a sad moment last year, and there has been such an amazing progress that you have had in 2017. So the difference is very big.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, when I have been here last year, I arrived with very positive feelings, no? Then what happened with my wrist. So I hope that the story don't repeat (smiling).

But it's true that since the beginning of the season I am happy the way that I played. I think I play well in almost every event that I was there.

And, yeah, played well on hard. Then played great on clay, no? Happy about the events that I won. Three events I have won have been very important for me.

And here we are another year just to try to have the right days of practice before the competition start. I know I need to be ready for, since the beginning, because I have a tough opponent in the first round. So I am focused on try to work the right way.

Q. If everything goes well for you you will play your 100th game in Roland Garros this year. What is the best game you have ever played here in Paris?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think probably was the semifinal match against Djokovic 2008, probably, I think during two sets and a half probably played one of the best matches, yeah.

Q. Pretty much everybody's picking you as the favorite here. Do you like when people are picking you as the favorite or you prefer that they wouldn't do that and just let you play the tournament out?
RAFAEL NADAL: Doesn't matter what you say, what you don't say, no? At the end of the day for me the only important thing is arrive here, play well. If I am playing well, doesn't matter if you believe or you don't believe that I am one of the candidates or not. That's only things that you have to write. I have to play. The only way to have chances, real chances to play good event is play very well, be healthy, and then be with the right attitude in every practice and in every match, no?

That's the only way to try to have success here, and I am focused on try to do that. And you are focused on try to write the things that you have to write, no? But I really don't care much about.

Q. You were a bit tired when you left Rome. Did you feel as fresh as you want to be now that you had some time to recover?
RAFAEL NADAL: I would love to be that tired one month and a half ago, no? That's the real thing, no? It's not about being tired. It's about that I had a lot of success on clay, winning three events of four that I played. That's great for me, no? It's not only about Grand Slams, tennis. It's obvious that here is probably the most important event in my career, without a doubt. I don't mean this year. The event by itself.

But for me makes me happy to feel myself competitive and play well in every event that I played, no?

So I am tired -- well, in Rome I was a little bit tired mentally more than physically, because is lot of days in a row with playing at high intensity, and now I am very tired because it's very, very warm here (smiling). But that's it. No, no, I am very happy the way that I arrived here. Now I have to play well here. That's all.

Q. How important has Carlos Moya been since he joined the team?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, since the beginning have been an important person in my career since I was a kid, and now since he arrived to the team is great to have him with us. Is great combination with Francis and Toni. I am very happy the way we are working. I think I have a great team. All together they are creating the right atmosphere to help me the best way possible.

Q. I know we can say the same about Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, but do you feel at home when you come back every year on this court here?
RAFAEL NADAL: I feel at home not because of the court. Because I feel at home because I have a great relationship with all the girls that are working here, with a lot of people that are running the event. Always is good to see people that I spent a lot of days in my life in this place.

So just can say thanks to them for everything that they do for me, and I feel great every time that I have the chance to be back here and to see all of them.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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