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US OPEN

September 5, 2019

Rafael Nadal

New York, NY, USA

R. NADAL/D. Schwartzman

6-4, 7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You're one of the greatest players to ever play the game of tennis. If you were his size, who would have won that match?
RAFAEL NADAL: The problem is "if". "If" don't exist in this world. The word "if" is very dangerous, because if I was his size, maybe I will adapt my game to that size. If he was my size, he will adapt the game to this size.

So I always try to speak in real terms, and he's one of the best players of the world. When he's playing well, he's able to win against everybody. Tonight was for me. Tough match. I'm very happy for the victory.

Q. When Matteo was here a few hours ago, he described you as the greatest fighter ever in tennis. Diego just said you're like a lion in the jungle. How would you describe your fighting spirit?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't like to talk much about myself, because it's not a beautiful thing.

No, I think I had stable character during all my life, all my career. That helps to be normally in stable -- I mean, mentally focused, mentally relaxed and mentally always ready to respect every opponent, to play every point, to play every game, to play every set and every match until the end, no?

So that's one of the keys of the success. But honestly, is not everything. I think my success is not only because of the spirit of fight. There is lot of things after this.

But of course I have the stories say that I have been, yeah, a good fighter on court with good character, positive character, and I am not the only one. There is a lot of ones that fight a lot.

Q. Two tough matches in a row, Marin and Diego. How is your body feeling as you head into the last two matches of the tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: Good. I'm feeling good. Today was very humid day, very heavy day. I had some cramps in the end of the second, and, yeah, first five games, six games of the third.

And then I take some salt, that's all, and then was over. Well, the body is in good shape, I think. No, not big problems. Just of course now a little bit tired, long day, 1:30. Need to go to sleep. But I really believe that I going to be in good shape.

Q. I would like to know what you expect from Berrettini. Tonight you lost four times the serve. Berrettini and Schwartzman, different kind of players, but you saw him, first of all, playing today? Did you see him play a little bit today against Monfils? What was your impression? How were you impressed? If you answer me about that, also in Spanish later, it would be nice.
RAFAEL NADAL: If you give me the chance to answer, it will be fantastic (smiling). Looks like you are asking and answering (smiling).

He's in semifinals. Berrettini is having a great year. He's in semifinals winning a lot of good matches, so what you can expect in a semifinals of a Grand Slam match. You can't expect an easy opponent. You can't expect an easy match.

I really believe that if you want to win tournaments, you need to go through tough opponents like I had against Marin, today against Diego. He was playing great the whole event and now another player that is playing great. He's serving huge, big forehands, moving well, and big confidence because he's having a great year.

So let's see. I need to play my best, and I think today I make a step forward, even if I lost my serve, as you said, couple of times.

Q. Four.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, four. Yeah, I hope to not lose the serve. How many games Berrettini lost the serve today?

Q. Well, he played four hours.
RAFAEL NADAL: Me almost three, yeah. You were focused about the time I lost my serve? You want to remember me that I lost four times the serve?

Q. I want to give a chance...
RAFAEL NADAL: No, you support. You're Italian. I really saw him losing some serves too tonight. Just joking. That's part of the business.

I need to be ready to play my best tennis. Today I make a step forward, in my opinion. That match give me confidence. Two matches in a row against two tough opponents. That's a moment to increase a little bit more the level, and I really believe that I can do it, and I hope.

Q. I don't know if you know Matteo well at all as a person, but he seems to be a very mature person for his age.
RAFAEL NADAL: How old is him?

Q. 23. And you were talking about yourself how you have been a stable person throughout your young career till now. Just wondering if you know him at all and your perception of him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I know him a little bit. I know him from the locker room, talking as much as I can. Even if we are in the same locker room a lot of weeks, we have different schedules, but always he was very friendly with me, and hopefully I was with him (smiling).

Yeah, looks a nice guy. Young with very good potential. He's in semifinals of a Grand Slam, so he's playing great. That's all. Looks relax, looks he's ready for fight for important things like he's doing.

Q. Do you approach that match in a similar way to the way you approached the Cilic match? Similar players? Is it the same kind of game plan?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think they are a little bit different players, not all the same. I don't think they have the same style.

No, I approach the game in a different way. I have one day to think about it, honestly. I just won a very important match for me, and it is the moment to enjoy this victory. Tomorrow afternoon I going to start to think about what's the plan for after tomorrow, and today is the moment to enjoy that feeling, be in semifinals of a Grand Slam again. I achieved the four semifinals of the four Grand Slams this year, and that's a lot. Very, very happy for that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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