THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2022

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

R. NADAL/R. Berankis

6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Rafa, could you share your initial thoughts on today's match, please.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, not the best start honestly and probably the best finish. I finished playing well. The fourth set has been the level of tennis for me, important improvement. The rest of the things I have room to improve.

But, yeah, it's a victory in four sets, spend three hours on the court again, that helps.

Q. There was a 50-minute delay between the rain coming down and the time you started playing again. Do you know the explanation of why it took so long for that to happen? Was that challenging, as well?

RAFAEL NADAL: That's part of the tennis. No complain about that at all. I think at the beginning they thought going to be just a quick shower, so they didn't want to close the roof straightaway. They wanted to keep playing outdoors. That's the information that I have.

I respect that and I understand. We're playing in an outdoor tournament. If the prediction was a quick shower, why not? Then the situation change. Have been longer shower, so then decided to close the roof.

No problem at all. I think they did the right process. Is true that maybe we could close the roof like three minutes before because is true that taked long time because the court was wet when they come back. Even when we are playing, when we came back, the court was more slippery.

Q. What do you think about your next opponent, which is Lorenzo Sonego? How are you going to deal with that?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, is the third match, third-round match against a player who already won two matches. He's a player with a very positive attitude, good serve, great forehand. Third-round match against a difficult player.

The only thing that I can expect is a difficult match. I need to play well. That's the only way to have chances to keep going. I know him. I like the way that he plays. I think he's a very dangerous opponent.

Q. A quick one about Iga Swiatek. She gets asked a lot about her admiration for you, how you inspire her. How much inspiration do you draw from her incredible run this year?

RAFAEL NADAL: I texted her a couple of times because it's unbelievable the way that she's playing. It's unbelievable the way that she's able to hold the concentration and the winning spirit for such a long time.

So, yeah, I think is something very difficult to made that happen, that she's able to do. I don't think she's losing a match since Indian Wells, if I am not wrong. That's amazing, no?

I think when she's playing well, it's very difficult to stop her because her shots are little bit different, with a lot of power. She's able to move well. Yeah, when she's with confidence, I think she has shots that are very difficult to stop for the rest of the girls.

Yeah, I like her. I think she has a very positive attitude, fresh air for the world of tennis. Happy that a good girl like her is having a lot of success.

Q. I've noticed a few members of your entourage wearing masks, avoiding handshakes. We've seen what happened with Berrettini and Cilic. Are you taking more precautions? Is there a sense of paranoia?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no paranoia at all. Reality. That's the thing. A good friend of mine today had to pull out, Roberto Bautista, with another case. When this kind of stuff happens is because probably around are a lot of cases.

I am not doing many things. Just staying here and staying in the house, not going out at all anymore. That's part of this challenging world that we are facing the last couple of years.

Yeah, I am not saying that we are not doing the things the proper way because at some point we need to open everything again, we need to be free, have a normal life. It looks like now the COVID is less dangerous in terms of creating very dangerous health problems.

At the same time when you open, these kind of things can happen. Nothing to add. That's it.

Q. A few weeks ago, Jelena Dokic shared on her Instagram account a few things about her life, but also a few things about mental health. What do you think about the fact now a few champions and few former champions talking about this subject with honesty?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, first thing that I can say is I feel very sorry for all the people who went through some mental issues. Of course, now it's something that is very common today talking about all these kind of issues.

Honestly is a tough thing. But at the same time people now feel more free to talk about all these issues that probably in the past were the same kind of issues and the people take it more private.

Is true we are in a world now that, with all the social networks, all this stuff, people feels more free to speak about all the problems and all the feelings that we are having daily. That's it.

Most important thing is if that helps, welcome.

Q. Seems like there's a lot of focus on when great athletes are going to retire, especially great older athletes. Do you think there's too much focus on that? What is your philosophy about retirement in general?

RAFAEL NADAL: My philosophy is couple of weeks ago I was close to it. Now I don't feel that way (smiling). That's my philosophy, no?

It's something that I am not -- I never had fear about that day. I think I am happy that I had a very happy life outside of tennis, even if tennis is a very important part of my life for the last 30 years. I have been happy outside of tennis, without a doubt. I have a lot of things that I like to do away from tennis, so I am not worried about that.

But, of course, when that day arrives, going to be a change. All the changes in this life takes a while. You need to adapt to the changes, no?

But it's normal that the people talks about retirement of the great athletes because in some way the athletes that have been for such a long time in the top of the game, even more in more popular sports, become part of the life of so many people. Happens to me the same with some football players, with golf players.

I mean, for example, person that I love to see, Tiger Woods playing. Now I'm not able to see Tiger Woods playing that often. In some way, that's a change in my life, too. Probably people will think the same like me, as a fan, when Roger is not playing, when Novak is not playing, when I am not playing, or when any football or basketball or any sport are not playing, because they become part of the daily life of the people because they are an inspiration.

Q. We saw Emma Raducanu wearing one of your T-shirts in here. Have you had much interaction with her? She lost yesterday, having won a Grand Slam young. Have you got any advice for Emma at this stage of her career?

RAFAEL NADAL: I am not a big fan of advices, honestly. I think people who is next to the player have normally the best advices because they know the situation, the personal situation, of the person, no?

But I honestly never had a big interaction with her. But I was very impressive when I saw her winning the US Open. I think was last year, no? I saw the final. The way that she played was unbelievable.

Then it's difficult to manage all this kind of success at very early stage of your life, no? But I wish her all the very best. I think she's a very important character for our sport. I know she's having a tough year, but in the other hand she already won a slam at very early stage of her career. That's gives her I think calm to take her time to keep improving and to keep having chances in the near future. I really hope that she will.

Q. You just spoke about Emma. What about Coco Gauff? What interaction have you had with her? What are your observations of her maturity as a young person?

RAFAEL NADAL: Is a similar case. The only thing that she doesn't win a slam yet. She started very early. I like her the way that she talks to the crowd, to the press at the end of the matches. She's fresh. She's natural. Looks very mature in her thoughts.

Yeah, I think she is a fighter. I like the way that she plays. She fight for every ball. Even sometimes when she's not playing that well, she keep fighting till the end, running for every ball.

I think, yeah, if she's able just to improve a little bit with this physical performance that she has, probably we'll talk about the player that she will be: multi-Grand Slam winner.