BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

January 4, 2024

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

R. NADAL/J. Kubler

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Rafa, it looked like you had a plan for today's match. You went in and executed. Are you happy with the way it all worked out today?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, my plan is just go on court and try to play well, try my best, no? That's all.

Have been a positive match, without a doubt. I think the first five games of the match have been at a very positive level of tennis, doing almost everything the right way. Have been a solid match, no?

Most of the time I have been playing well, doing the things that I need to do. Yeah, happy for the victory. Of course, it's important for me. It's important tomorrow I going to be playing again. That's all important for me at this point.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When you were serving for the first set, you lost the first points, were facing break points. How important is it for you to get into mentally tough scenarios like that rather than...

RAFAEL NADAL: Honestly, today I take the things whenever it comes, no? I think, of course, are important to survive these kind of moments because you practice the adversity. Something I need to practice again because have been a while, long time, without being in that positions.

To be honest, the ball in that end of the first set was super big. Was difficult to move the ball the proper way. I think the ball gets too big sometimes, especially under these humid and night conditions. I don't know what's going on with the ball, but it's dead. With the new balls, of course the situation change a lot.

Yes, I think today, not talking only about today's match, today in general terms, every day is a learning again, no? I need to play every single point focus. I try to do it because doesn't matter the result, is something I need to keep doing, learn again how to play every single point focus and with the right intensity. In the end is something that you lose.

You need to get used to the competition again and to understand the moments of the match to know when you have to push, know when you can play a little bit more relax. Is something that today I'm not able to do it, no? I need to play every single point very focus. That's the thing that I need to do now, is practice that.

Of course, wins helps to be more self-confident and to spend more hours on court.

Q. One of the more entertaining parts of the match was the bathroom break. You saw the funny side of being warned for a time violation when you got back. Can you explain what you think happened?

RAFAEL NADAL: I really don't understand very well. Without criticizing anyone, because I take it like a funny circumstances, but I need to get to the rule exactly because I don't know how the things are, if something change.

If I am not wrong, as far as I know, the rule is you have five minutes inside the locker room. After that five minutes, I was outside of the locker room. I don't know if it was the person that was me said to the referee, to the umpire, four seconds later. That's what the umpire told me the person said, four seconds later when he called the time that I was going out the locker room. I don't think that was what happened. I can be wrong.

My feeling is when they called five minutes, I was walking through the door. Nothing happens. Just anecdotic. I need to know more about the rule because something changed and I missed during this year.

I thought I was on time, so that's why I was surprised.

Q. Can you tell us how did you feel yesterday after the first match and today for your second match.

RAFAEL NADAL: No, good. Today have been a match tougher in terms of humidity than the first day. Was very humid out there today. Was tough. I need to get used to that conditions because I was sweating a lot. After the first set I needed to change everything basically.

But good. No, I mean, positive thing is first two matches haven't been a super long matches. Of course, I had some feelings after the first match. I mean, have been a year without playing with the tension of a real match, so I felt a little bit some muscles tired here and there.

In general terms, I felt good, no? Important thing is the surgery on the psoas-iliac and the hip, that's not bothering me at all. That's something that is super important for me.

For the moment, the foot is answering well. That's for me the main issue, that the foot is problematic, and for the moment I am able to move myself with no limitations. That's for me makes me feel happy and be able to play better without a doubt.

Q. You're playing another Australian tomorrow. Hoping to see if I can get your thoughts on this Australian group of players. How far away do you think this group of Australian players is of being able to push for the second week of Grand Slams consistently?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think de Minaur is a player that he's very close to the top 10. I don't see him far at all to fight for very important things, no? I think he have been improving the last couple years. He is able to create more damage on the opponents now than before. That's what, in my opinion, he needed. I think since last year he's able to damage more the opponents.

I mean, I don't know. I don't have the whole information to have a real analyze the situation the right way. But I see Alex like the best one today. Nick is not playing. That's how I see.

Then tomorrow I have another tough opponent in front, a player who is able to serve and play very well from the baseline. He knows how to go to the net, too. So going to be an important test for me tomorrow, no?

I hope to be able to play a good tennis today. Let's see. Every day is an adventure today. I take every day like an opportunity, and tomorrow is another one.

Thank you so much. Have a good night, guys.