MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 1, 2024

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

J. LEHECKA/R. Nadal

7-5, 6-4

(Questions in Spanish.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Congratulations, Rafa, on the Madrid chapter of your career. How much progress do you think you have made over the last week?

RAFAEL NADAL: Good. I mean, thank you. Have been a positive week in all ways. I say it in Spanish, but it's true in terms of body feelings, I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches, and the body, some muscles are tired now. I felt that on the match. But holded well.

So have been a very positive match, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis.

Yeah, I mean, I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with very positive energy in all ways.

Q. When you came here a week ago, could you have dreamed of playing this well? Now that you have, does it make you feel optimistic you can keep going quite a long, not too long, but in the future?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know how long (smiling), but I gonna try to play in Rome. That's another very special tournament in my career, no? I think, I don't know, I won 10? Yeah, 10. So, yeah, a lot of emotions there too.

I dreamed is to play all these tournaments that I had success one more time, no? I missed Monte-Carlo unfortunately, that is one of the most special for me, but Rome is one of these ones that I enjoyed a lot playing there.

So I want to go there. I gonna try. And I want to play well there. I want to play well. I want to be competitive. I want to give myself a chance to play good tennis, and I gonna keep working hard to try to make that happen.

Today is an emotional day, of course. Today is unforgettable day in terms of saying, Good-bye, Madrid. That is one of the places or even probably the place that I received more love and support during all these years.

But my career keep going, and I have my personal goals that I have got in the next couple of weeks, and I want to explore if I have any chance to achieve that.

(Applause.)