AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 9, 2021

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

R. NADAL/L. Dere

6-3, 6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you feel out there in your first official match in almost three months?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I was able to win in straight sets. It's always a positive start for me. Always difficult after not playing for a while, playing an official match in a while. A good start. Happy.

Q. Can I ask you about the gentleman you practiced with for a couple of times last week? He won his first match today.

RAFAEL NADAL: Who?

Q. Alcaraz. What's your impressions of him?

RAFAEL NADAL: He's very good. He's very young. He has everything to improve in the future with his age. He already is where he is, and he has a lot of great things on his game. I really believe that he will have a great future because he's a good guy, humble, hard worker. He has a lot of positive things.

Q. Where do you think the state of tennis is in terms of a quality between men and women, and what could be done more do you think?

RAFAEL NADAL: Repeat. Say again, please.

Q. The equality between men and women in the game of tennis, where do you think the state of it is right now?

RAFAEL NADAL: The quality in terms of level of tennis or in terms of what?

Q. In terms of just notoriety, in terms of exposure and even pay?

RAFAEL NADAL: I mean, I don't see no one sport in the world that is more equal than tennis.

Q. Is your back feeling good, and is it up to five-set tennis if it comes to that?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. My back is not perfect, as I said a couple of days ago. Every day that I'm able to go through, probably there are more chances to get better. That's the thing now. There is always a chance to improve, and that's why I'm here playing and fighting to try to get better and then give myself a chance.

Today it's not great. I needed to change a little bit the motion of my serve. That's what I tried to survive that condition today. Tomorrow a day off. After tomorrow, another match. I need to go day-to-day and just try to stay positive. Of course every day that I am trying to stay here longer is a day with a chance to get better finally, so that's what I am trying. Trying to do all the things possible to be ready for compete, for what I came here.

Q. In addition to dealing with injuries, what are the changes because of the pandemic to your routine as a tennis player? You're always somebody who has a very routine approach. You like to do things the same way. How have things changed for you?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, people think that I am a very routine guy because I do all these routines on court. But outside of the court I am completely the opposite. No, I am not a very organized guy.

With the pandemic, I don't know. I have been at home, honestly, not able to do a lot of things away from staying home, staying with family when the lockdown, when the hard lockdown finished, not able to stay much with the friends. But the situation is how it is today, so no parties for one year already, no big dinners or lunches with a lot of people. Yeah, we are living in a little bit more sad world, but we need to be able to adapt ourselves to this situation and do the things the best way possible to try to get better.

For example, here they are in a different situation. They are able to stay together. They are able to go out and have fun and be a lot of people together in one place, so it's a different story than what we are facing. We dream about be back to that situation.

Q. Another one on Carlos, he was telling us how the biggest thing he's learned from you is the intensity and to be focused on every point. I'm wondering how much you feel for a young player like Carlos who's trying to break through at this level, how important is it to have that mentality and intensity all of the time?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he has it. He has intensity. He has the passion. I mean, he has the shots, and he's always the same in my opinion. He has all the ingredients to become a great champion.

Then it's all about how much you are able to improve during the next couple of years. Then that depends on how much you will be able to improve that will make the difference on -- he's going to be very good, but if you're going to be very good or if you're going to be an amazing champion, so that's all.

Q. I have a question actually about Jannik Sinner. He played Canadian Denis Shapovalov. They had a great five-set match. After that match Sinner said the biggest thing he took from being down under in Melbourne was practice with you. What does it mean to you to hear him say that, that he views you as such a role model, and I'm also curious if you had a chance to see the match between Denis and Jannik Sinner and what you thought.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I stayed on the bed watching the match until 1:00 a.m. Yeah, it's true. I had been watching. A great match, great level of tennis for both of them, emotional, sad for Jannik. Yeah, happy for Denis. That's it. That's the game. An unlucky first round, I think, for both of them.

I mean, Jannik is a great guy. I was able to know him a little bit more during that 15 days in Adelaide, and I think we had great practices, great atmosphere out there practicing together, not having a lot of fun because we were not able to have fun, but I think both of us, we enjoyed practicing together, and I think we did a good work. So yeah, I think -- honestly, he's a great guy. He's a guy with -- he's humble. He's relaxed. He's a good worker. The same thing that I talk about Alcaraz a few questions ago. He's already there fighting for important things, winning a title just the previous week. I mean, I am sure he's going to finish this year in a high position of the ranking. I don't have a doubt of that.