THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 28, 2022

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

R. NADAL/F. Cerundolo

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

THE MODERATOR: Rafa, just give us your thoughts on the match today.

RAFAEL NADAL: Difficult, yeah. Well, something expected because didn't play on grass for three years. Being honest, he played at very high level for such a long time. He started to not missing balls, serving well, hitting great forehands, and especially great backhands. Normally he has a great forehand. But the backhand today on his side was great.

Positive thing, I finished the match playing well. The last couple of games I raise up my level without a doubt. That's give me the chance to end with a victory, no?

But, yeah, very positive match for me. Of course, there is an important room to keep improving, but I am sure this match going to help.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I want to get your reaction to Matteo Berrettini, who has unfortunately had to withdraw from Wimbledon due to COVID. You shared a court with him on Thursday. Are there any concerns you may have contracted something?

RAFAEL NADAL: Difficult to be a close contact when you are outside, when you are practicing. Just in outdoors things look like historically are more difficult. Anything can happen, no?

For the moment I am feeling great, no problems at all. Main thing is I feel very sorry for him because he was playing fantastic, winning two tournaments before the tournament start. He's a very good colleague on tour. We know each other well.

I know how sad probably he will feel today, no? Sorry for him. Wish him a quick recovery. He was unlucky the last couple of months, without a doubt.

Q. You mentioned that you hadn't played on grass in three years. Anything surprise you about it? Is it the same as it's always been or is the grass in any way different, Centre Court?

RAFAEL NADAL: Even don't remember. To compare you need to remember well the other things. I don't remember very well.

I mean, when it's windy, cold, the ball here is very heavy. When the sun is there, in a little bit drier conditions, the ball is a little bit faster, stays a little bit less on the string. Today was a very heavy ball. Very windy out there. Honestly, haven't been easy to play.

I was more or less under control with two sets and one break up. But then, being honest, the sun was crazy there. For a righty probably is not a problem, but for a lefty where the sun is, especially when I am serving from the right side of the umpire, was so tough because it was difficult for me to find the spot after the serve. I was losing the ball completely.

Yeah, he played well honestly, no? He played at very high level for such a long time. He puts pressure, playing aggressive on both sides.

For me, I say the other day before the tournament start, no, every victory helps. Today was a victory. I spent a long time on court. I really hope that that will helps.

I think, as I said before, I need to keep improving things. But at the end of the match I improved. At the most critical moment, I think I raise my level. That's a very positive thing.

So let's keep going. Good practice tomorrow. Be ready for Ricardas in the second round. Be another day. Be humble enough to accept the challenge, accept that the situation will not be perfect for the moment.

But with the things I have, I need to find a way to keep going. Because every day that I am able to survive, there are much bigger chance that I start playing at much higher level.

Q. The other day Serena said she named her dog after you and she finds you very inspiring. What goes through your mind when you see Serena, and what are your thoughts about her attempt at a comeback?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, first of all, thanks for the words from Serena. I read. It's great to hear these beautiful things from probably one of the biggest female athletes in the history of the sport in general.

And is great that she's trying to come back. The only thing that shows is passion and love for the game. After all the things that she achieved, and long period of time being injured, is so difficult to try to come back, no?

Just be here shows that she has a lot of love for her work and for this game. And I think that's a great example.

Q. I'd like to know, what do you think about the fact that apparently Berrettini was told that if he wanted to play, he could have played? He decided not to play, to not create contacts with the other players and everything else. What would you done if it was you? What is your comment on the fact that a French player said that she thought that in Roland Garros there were many who had COVID but they still played?

RAFAEL NADAL: With a no? If you don't test positive? Say these kind of words, it's always easy to create conflict. To create conflict, we need to be sure that there is a conflict there.

So in Roland Garros, if I'm not wrong, I don't remember cases. If somebody had a positive test, I don't know. Honestly, I don't have the whole information to have a clear opinion on that, so I prefer to not talk about things that I don't know hundred percent.

Here, if I not wrong, Matteo have been sick for a couple of days. So then I really thought that's what one physio of the ATP told me the other day. I don't know if the situation changed or something is different today.

But the information that I had personally, I don't know is right one or not right, but that's what the physio of the ATP told me, is if you have some symptoms, is up to you that if you want to have a test or not. If you want to have a test, and the test is positive, then you are out.

But now if you tell me even if you are positive, you can keep playing, is something I didn't know. The only thing I used to know is up to you, even if you feel bad, if you want to be tested or not.

Q. Do you think it's fair, it's good?

RAFAEL NADAL: If I think is good or not good? I don't know. There are some rules there. We follow the rules. In these cases, we can discuss all the times the rules, but then we can't discuss everything in this world.

There are so many rules, for some people some rules are fine; the other rules are not fine. If there are some rules, we need to follow the rules. If not, the world is a mess. That's my point of view.