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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 29, 2020

Rafael Nadal

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

D. THIEM/R. Nadal

7-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your thoughts about the match? Where do you think it went wrong for you or what did Thiem do better for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, have been a very good match. Good level of tennis, I think, yeah. He have been playing very well, I think, no? Playing very aggressive, great shots. Even from difficult positions, he was able to produce amazing shots.

So nothing to say. Just well done to him.

Q. Is there anything you would like to have done differently tonight?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes: win any tiebreak. But that's how it works. Sometimes things are not going the way that you would like. I had a big chance with 5-3 in the first. I think I had set point serving. Was a very important moment of the match, for sure. Then, yeah, I think I didn't play a good tiebreak.

In the second, I was back. But he played with the right determination, no? He was putting one more ball in all the time in a difficult position for me.

Yeah, I think he's playing great. He's playing with a lot of energy, aggressive, determination. So well done for him.

I honestly didn't play a bad match, no, no. My attitude was great, I think, during the whole match. Good, positive, fighting spirit all the time, giving me more chances. That's what I tried, no?

Don't give up in no one moment during the whole match. I give myself an opportunity until the last point. Happy for that because my level of concentration and tennis was better, I think even the concentration than the tennis. But the tennis was not bad at all. It was difficult to play against him.

Happy, but I need a little bit more of determination in some moments - true. It's true that some moments conditions have been a little bit heavy.

When the ball was new for me, have been better, honestly. Honestly, I had two breaks with new balls. Then I felt more comfortable with the new balls.

The ball became so heavy. He's younger, he's very quick. With these heavy balls, it's difficult to produce sometimes winners. He has a lot of power, so he's able to produce these amazing shots from a very difficult position.

Nothing to say. Of course, I am sad. I lost an opportunity to be in the semifinals of another Grand Slam. But I lost against a great opponent. And he deserve it, too. Well done for him.

Q. How is he playing different on hard courts compared to when you played him at the US Open?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, honestly. I cannot tell you. Have been a great match in that moment. Today was another great match. I don't remember, sorry. Now is little bit tired to think about.

Q. Is that as well as he's played against you?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I think he played great matches against me in the past, too. He played great quality tennis. I think we like each other in terms of character. I like his attitude. Probably he likes mine, too (smiling). We have things that we can compare each other in some way.

I don't know. I think he's playing well. Wish him all the very best for the rest of the tournament.

Q. What was your view of the time violation? What did you say to the tournament director at that point?
RAFAEL NADAL: Nothing. I didn't say anything to the tournament director because he was not there at all, and he has nothing to say. Just to let you know.

Q. What was your view on the violation?
RAFAEL NADAL: No view. That's a time violation, that's all.

Q. You seemed quite generally agitated during the match.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry?

Q. You seemed quite agitated during the match.
RAFAEL NADAL: Nervous? Tired?

Q. Irritated.
RAFAEL NADAL: Frustrated?

Q. Was that with yourself?
RAFAEL NADAL: Honestly, not. I was not frustrated. I don't see myself with a negative attitude during the whole match. I give myself all the time and opportunity.

Even in the tough moments... I lost two tiebreaks. I know how tough is lose two tiebreaks. After 2 hours 30 or 2 hours 40 against a player that you know will physically not have mistakes, so you know how tough is lose these two tiebreaks.

Even like this, I keep going on the third hard and in the fourth, too. I had the big chance in the 1-0, 15-40. Then I come back with 5-4. He played a bad game, is true, but I was there.

I don't see myself frustrated or nervous at all. No, no. I just tried my best in every single moment. Sorry, I don't see this.

Q. Maybe it's not quite the right word, but it's okay.
RAFAEL NADAL: If you want to find a better word, I am here.

Q. 'Agitated' is what I wanted to say.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I understand. But when the opponent is playing well, it's normal you are trying to find solutions. It's not about being frustrated or not. Just trying to understand what's going on and trying to have the mind fresh to try to find different ways. That's all.

Q. Last year in Wimbledon we saw a great final, very even match. Federer lost three tiebreaks versus Djokovic. Today we saw another great match. You lost three tiebreaks, which doesn't happen very often. Do you have any kind of explanation? Coincidence or what?
RAFAEL NADAL: As the other day, I don't have a big explanation when I won two tiebreaks against Kyrgios. Today I don't have another clear explanation why I lost two tiebreaks. Probably because he played better than me. Normally that's the reason why you lose or you win tiebreaks.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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