UNITED CUP

January 2, 2023

Rafael Nadal

Team Spain

Press Conference

A. de MINAUR/R. Nadal

3-6, 6-1, 7-5

Team Australia - 1

Team Spain - 0

THE MODERATOR: Tough luck, Rafa. What do you think made the difference at the end?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, what made the difference, I think he played better than me in important moments, no, because I had my chances again, but I make couple of important mistakes at the moments that I can't do mistakes if I want to win these kind of matches.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Unlucky with the result tonight, but what positives can you take from your first two matches of the season here?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, six hours on court almost. I need hours on court. I need battles like this. Didn't play much official matches the last six months, almost seven.

Yeah, days like these two helps. Of course with victories the process is faster, but I need to keep fighting. That's it. For moments I played very good level of tennis. Playing very good with the backhand. Changing directions with the forehand.

Putting in perspective that probably the conditions were not ideal for me here because the ball was very dead. I mean, I don't know if it's the ball, I don't know if it's the conditions here that it's indoor and becomes very humid that the ball is getting soft and don't help a lot with the spin, I think. The players who play more flat I think have a little bit better chances. But no, not an excuse at all. I was able to play some good tennis but not consistent enough.

In the second set, set for me, break, beginning in the second, chance to win almost every single game till the 5-1 or even 6-1, and I lost six games in a row. So can't happen that.

Then again some good points in the third. Some chances but some mistakes, too. That's it. No, no, I need to keep fighting. Need to keep finding the rhythm.

I have two weeks before the Australian Open start. I can't say that the situation is ideal, but at the same time, I can't say that it's very negative, because for moments I was playing good. I think that two matches is gonna help me. I need to win couple of matches. But the level was not that bad. Putting in perspective that I arrived needing a little bit more time.

Q. Now that the United Cup campaign is done for Spain and the Australian Open full steam ahead now, how do you compare how you're feeling physically and mentally now to how you felt this time last year...

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't remember even. Honestly doesn't matter. No, I never like to look at comparations, because every situation and every year is different, and at the end doesn't matter.

You never know what can happen, because one year ago in these dates looks impossible to imagine what happened later, and today looks difficult to make that happen again.

But I gonna work hard these two weeks to be physically better. In terms of tennis, probably playing sets and practicing for the next two weeks with good guys, I think that can help me to be more consistent. That's what I gonna look for.

Just the beginning, and honestly, I am not too alarmed, too negative about what happened. I think was a real chance to lose these kind of matches. Last year I lost two matches in Abu Dhabi, and that's it.

I take like I had my chance against two great players. Not able to convert it. That says that having an important room to improve, and I really believe that I can do it. I was very close to win against two great players.

Q. Considering what you've just been saying about how you feel, et cetera, but what are your emotions like just at the moment? I would figure you're disappointed with the way this has gone today or tonight. Is there an element of anger as well in that you had those chances and so many chances, you weren't able to close those out? And after so many weeks on and off and on and off, having had these two matches, how do you feel physically at the moment?

RAFAEL NADAL: Good. No, physically was not that bad. I need to, as I said the other day, I need to be a little bit faster, a little bit more dynamic on court, to read a little bit better the ball. That gives you the confidence, the hours on court, playing matches, and that's it. In terms of physical issues, I can't complain. Happy for that. That helps a lot to keep going.

And that's it, no. I just believe that the situation is how it is, and I have to improve. That's it, no. I really believe it gonna happen. When, I don't know. But I really hope that it gonna happen soon, because I don't feel that I am that far.

Q. Just wondering what's the schedule from here to the Australian Open for you.

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I think I gonna go quick to Melbourne. We are playing tomorrow still. Of course I don't want to play, but I can't leave, so probably I gonna leave Wednesday. I don't know. Visit a little bit the city here Wednesday morning and then leaving in the afternoon. Maybe. I'm not sure yet about the schedule.

But putting things in perspective that this competition I find a negative point, you know. Competition is great. Idea is great. It's not great that today we are playing for nothing. I really believe -- it's the first year of this competition, so that's kind of things that need to fix, to improve, and to make it more interesting for everyone.

I really believe that in a group of three, the loser of the first tie needs to play with the team that didn't play yet, because that makes the competition much more interesting. Because, for example yesterday, even if we lost yesterday, with the format how it is, the last mixed doubles match probably I will be playing, because maybe that match can make a difference even losing the tie because we have another day.

Like this, yesterday, for example, is not fair for the others at the same time, because we didn't put our best feel on court on the last match, so we give advantage to Great Britain, for example, if in case they lost the final, so maybe that can make the difference at the end.

So I don't think is good for the competition that today we are playing against Australia, both of us being out of the tournament. So that will not happen if the country who didn't play at the beginning played with the loser of the first day, all the matches gonna make sense. That's the thing that I think makes improve that in that competition for the future.