ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2021

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

R. NADAL/J. Sinner

7-5, 6-3, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The first set obviously was tight, a bit of a roller coaster, but it looks like it was really important you got that first set under your belt, because you tended to roll through the rest of the match. Your thoughts, your feelings on how it all worked out.

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, my feelings are more or less clear, no? I think I started the first two games playing great. Then I had a bad game with 2-0 and with the wind helping, so that was a big mistake. Then I started to play too much against his backhand and too far from the baseline. So then I give him the chance to be inside the court and to have the control of the point from inside. From that position he's dangerous. I was a little bit farther every time, no, from the baseline.

Then I was able to have the break back in the 5-4 with the wind helping. I know that was a chance. So it was important to hold my serve with the 5-3 against the wind. Then with the 5-4, you know that you can have your chances, no? So that's what happen. I won that game. I had the break. Then I play solid game with my serve.

Then from that moment to 7-5, 4-0 I think I played very good level of tennis. Then again, couple of mistakes and he played well, honestly. 4-3 until that moment to the end of the match I think I played great.

Q. You have just celebrated another birthday at Roland Garros. What gets better with age when you're playing here at Roland Garros, and what become becomes more difficult with age?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I mean, what's more difficult is keep celebrating birthdays here in Roland Garros, no, that's the most difficult part because every time is one more year. So gonna arrive one day that we don't gonna celebrate here. That's it, no?

For the rest of the things, still passionate about what I am doing, happy to be where I am, of course. I feel lucky to be where I am, too, and I want to keep enjoying, no? Give myself chances to keep competing well.

Q. It seemed like maybe you were upset about the lights in the stadium? I just wanted to ask what the issue was and is it that you thought they didn't need to be on yet? It wasn't so dark that they needed to be on and it was bothering you having those in your eyes?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. I thought the lights were on too early. With the sun, you know, having a court like this that is covered from one side for me from the right part of the umpire, the lights were bothering me a lot for such a long time, no?

When the sun was a little bit lower and the start to hit the lights was a little bit of, you know, some shadows on the court, the sun hitting the lights, so have been a tricky situation.

Honestly, I don't know why they put on the lights that early. We have been playing without lights here in Roland Garros for forever. At 4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon we have been playing tennis until 9:00 in the evening without lights always here, no?

That's why I didn't understand why they have to put the lights on, and they say it is because of the TV. But my answer is we used to have TV before we had the lights on here in Roland Garros. I saw plenty of matches here, and from the TV the quality of the image was great without the lights.

So I don't know why we need to have the lights if the lights are bothering the good show for the players, no? So that's all my concern.