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ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

October 30, 2017

Rafael Nadal

Paris, France

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You need one win now to clinch No. 1. Have you allowed yourself to think about the possibility of making that achievement again?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yeah, let's see. I need to win a match. But is something that I am here to try my best. As in every tournament, no?

Of course, if that happens, be will be something important for me. But season is not over and is not the moment to think much about that. No. Just try to think about try to have the right preparation for the tournament and then try to be ready for the first match.

Q. Were you a bit surprised that Roger didn't come and play here given that the year-end world No. 1 he was kind of closing on you a bit. Obviously it's going to hurt his chances big time that he's not here.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, everybody, the calendar that thinks that this is better for itself. And for him was working everything well that way. And, yeah, he had the chance, little bit better chance of course if he came here. But you never know.

Because, of course, without playing on clay, probably you think that without playing on clay he will have more points if he played on clay. But you never know if he played on clay if he will win later Wimbledon or he will be able to play as well as he did.

So he take his decisions and he did it well. It worked very well for him. And was a free position that probably after winning Shanghai and winning Basel he believes that will be better for his body and for his preparation for London to not be here, to rest here. Probably he think that will be more tired or risk injuries.

Q. How are you feeling?
RAFAEL NADAL: Good. I am here to try my best as always and just trying to practice well every day, everything I am doing. And yeah, I need to rest after Shanghai, a lot of matches this year.

Had to pull out of the Basel. That was something I was not happy with. But here I am now and just happy to be here in probably the most important city in my career.

Q. Slightly off topic but obviously a lot is going on in your country at the moment and a lot has happened since we last spoke about it. I'm just wondering how troubled you are by the events in Catalonia?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, of course have been very sad moments for all of us. Tough moments, but the things happens and you need to accept.

I born in a democratic country so I believe in my country and I believe in my people, and I believe that things going to go the right way without incidents. That's my wish.

That's the only thing that I can say.

Q. From a sort of tennis angle, I'm wondering if Catalonia became a separate country, would you feel any differently about playing there if there is some kind of separation goes on?
RAFAEL NADAL: I believe that is difficult to appreciate because I think it's not the case today. And is something that I understand there is interest about that, but you have to understand that in my situation it's very difficult to answer these kind of things because things are very -- let's say, you know, in English, sensitive in my country.

So everything, anything that I can say will not go the right way because for some, you know, there is always people that are going to be against that. So for me, it's a most important thing or the real thing for me is a sad situation and at the same time is a difficult situation because is difficult to talk 100% free about the situation because you only create damage on some people, and is enough damage already created.

So the only thing that I want is the things get better. I don't want the fracture between people in Catalonia. I feel close to Catalonia. I love the people in Catalonia, and most of the Spanish people feel the same. Love from the rest of the Spanish country, it feels love for Catalonia and that's it. And that's the reason that's why we are sad about that situation.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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