THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2022

Botic Van De Zandschulp

Press Conference

R. NADAL/B. van de Zandschulp

6-4, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Your thoughts on today's match.

BOTIC van de ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, I think I played a pretty good first and third set. I thought I played a pretty good level there.

Unfortunately both sets went his way. I have to say I thought he was, yeah, surprisingly serving really well. Yeah, playing way better than the last games I saw him on the grass. Yeah, I think he's improving every match.

Yeah, but overall, I think it was a good match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. You seemed to me, at least to the casual observer, to be playing a bit more aggressive today, especially on the second serve it seemed at times. Was that a tactic of yours? Was it a thought that this is a way I can give myself a chance of beating Rafa?

BOTIC van de ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, I think when you play too defensive against him, yeah, I think he moves you around and it's tough to play him. Yeah, I tried to be a little bit more aggressive on the second serve.

Yeah, some games it worked; some games it didn't.

Q. Unforced error and a few more double faults than you would have wanted?

BOTIC van de ZANDSCHULP: Yeah.

Q. There were some tense moments towards the end of the third set there. Of course Rafa is serving for the match. You break. Does that give you a bit of confidence, or does that affect you mentally at least?

BOTIC van de ZANDSCHULP: Yeah, sure. Of course he had the momentum till 5-3, and, yeah, I break him on love or 15-40 there. Yeah, of course the momentum change a little bit, and I started to believe more in the chance to win the set.

So, yeah, I think you saw it in my game that I played a little bit better in the end of the third set.

Q. Also, it was getting really tense there, you hit that unbelievable 30-shot rally. Can you hear the crowd? Because I'm there in the crowd and I'm listening to the crowd. Some people were sort of shouting out things and some people even said, "Be quiet." Can you hear that, or are you completely zoned out to what's going on during a long rally like that?

BOTIC van de ZANDSCHULP: No, of course I think people are starting to make noises during the rally. I think it's what both players hear.

Yeah, but it was not annoying or something during the rally.