US OPEN

September 3, 2022

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

R. NADAL/R. Gasquet

6-0, 6-1, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Straight sets, 2 hours 15 on the court. Your thoughts on your performance tonight.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, my best match in the tournament. Yeah, easy. Easy to say that because the other day was tough.

But, yeah, important improvement. But I need to keep going. It's a good victory for me. Straight sets for the first time. Third set had been a challenge. He increased the level.

Yeah, I went through some difficult moments. That's something that is good that I went through that and safe that moments with a positive feelings.

Happy to be in the fourth round, without a doubt.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you compare how you were feeling in Australia halfway through a tournament that you didn't have a lot of time to prepare for and now where you played one match in 50 days before the tournament?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, different feelings, no? I think I played better in Australia than here going to the second week. But I have zero background in terms of victories and all this stuff.

Here I played little bit worse than in Australia, without a doubt. But the story of the year and the results on the slams have been incredible, so that helps.

I don't know the balance, what's better or worse. But all these victories helps to be a little bit more confident. It's a moment to increase, to making a step forward.

Second week against a great player like Frances, I need to be ready to play and to raise my level. I hope to be able to make that happen. I know is the right moment to make an improvement if I want to keep having chances to keep going on the tournament.

Today was an improvement. I need another important improvement for the next day. I expect a good practice tomorrow. I hope to be ready for after tomorrow.

Q. What do you hope 20 years from now tennis historians will say about this era with yourself, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yeah, have been a great story for our sport, having a lot of players that achieved a lot during the last 20 years, without a doubt.

I think in some way helped to make our sport better, more popular, and create more jobs in our tour. In general I think there is more people in the world living from our sport. That says that our sport, it's bigger than before.

In some way I feel proud and happy to have a small contribution to the world of tennis. I think in a personal way have been amazing to share all these years with such great champions. Be part of this era is an absolutely honor.

Q. Looking ahead to playing Frances in the next round, what do you remember about your matches against him before, and what do you think his greatest strengths are?

RAFAEL NADAL: I think he's playing great. He improved. He's more solid than before. He has more matches and years on the tour. He has experience. He already competed in the biggest stages in advanced round, yeah.

He's a player who plays with a lot of passion, a lot of energy. He's very quick. He can play very aggressive. I mean, he's a player that I not going to win if I am not playing well. So I need to play well. I hope to make that happen.

I know going to be a very important test for me. Fourth round of the US Open, I accept that, that I going to have a very tough opponent in front. In some ways a challenge for me. I enjoy that because I need to be ready for it. I need to increase the amount of energy. I need to increase the level intensity on the court. I hope to be able to make that happen.