ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2024

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Rafa, welcome back to Roland Garros. When did you find out about your first-round opponent, and what was your reaction?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I was playing some Parchis, and yeah, at some point somebody tell me the draw. I mean, the reaction is -- I mean, something that I expected in some way, no? When you are not seeded, anything can happen.

So that's part of the business when you are not seeded in my case now, and just accept, you know. That's the thing. And you never know what's lucky or unlucky.

Of course on the paper is not the best draw (smiling). I play against one of the toughest opponents possible, and at the same time, he came here winning the last event and it's a Masters 1000. It's not a small one.

So just, yeah, what can I do? That's the draw. Just try to be ready for it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. When did you decide for sure to play here this time? You had said you had some doubts in Rome. Have you decided for sure whether this will be your final French Open? Because everybody is assuming it will be, but I don't know if you have decided that for sure.

RAFAEL NADAL: No, don't assume that. I mean, I said in Rome after the press conference have been a little bit of misunderstanding in some way, but I say that my feelings even after that tough match was that I have been improving in some ways, no, in terms of physical issues. My goal, my reaction was I wanted to play here. Then I needed to check how I felt the days after in different matches, no, in terms of tennis, in terms of mentality, and in terms of physical issues, no?

So of course immediately I didn't want to say in the press conference. Immediately you had the feeling that I did a disaster in Rome. You feel, okay, I need to play Roland Garros to do it better, no?

But at the same time I wanted to wait a couple of days, give me some time to see how I feel in all the matters that I told you. And I felt better, I felt ready. Mentally I was with the right motivation to be here.

Physically I feel better. Honestly, no? I am improving in different ways. I have less limitations that three, four weeks ago, without a doubt.

And in terms if that's going to be my last Roland Garros, it's a long answer, but I think I need to answer that, because we're gonna avoid future questions since the beginning (smiling), so I gonna do it.

As I said, it's a big, big chance that going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it's 100% my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not, because I cannot predict what's going on. I hope you understand.

Myself, I have been going through a long process of recovery with a very difficult injury, almost two years of suffering, a recovering process that seems like I feel better now. I am not a guy that reacts because I lost there or I lost in the other place, no? Reacts about my personal feelings, and my personal feelings are better now than one month and a half ago, without a doubt.

So in some way I don't want to close 100% the door, because a very simple thing. First thing, I am enjoying playing tennis. Second thing, I am traveling with the family. They are enjoying. I am enjoying sharing all this process with them.

And third thing, I was not able to explore yet the proper way how I will be able to play being in again more or less healthy conditions, playing without limitation.

So give me some time. Maybe in one month and a half I say, okay, it's enough, I can't keep going, but today in some way I cannot guarantee that that's going to be the last one. But of course it's a big chance.

Q. Given how special this place is, what emotions do you think you're going to feel this week? Secondly, what will it feel like to have your son watching you at this special place play tennis?

RAFAEL NADAL: I do not think he's watching me. (Laughter.) I think he doesn't realize nothing yet. (Smiling.)

I enjoy every time that I have the chance to be around here. I am feeling an amazing support of the people. That's give me a lot of power and emotionally something that gonna stay with me forever.

Yeah, I am having a good week of practices. I probably will say is the first week since I come back playing tennis that I am able to run the proper way without having a lot of limitations. That's encourage me.

I mean, of course that's not means that I'm gonna be out there on Monday and I'm gonna play incredible, no? I think going to be something very difficult to make that happen because I didn't have under my shoulders enough moments to play that highest level.

But in some way this place is magical for me, no? So happened a lot of times things that was difficult to imagine. So if, in the bottom of my heart, I don't have any hope to have success here and to create a beautiful thing this year, I will not be here in front of you guys. So I still having the motivation and a small, but at least is a small hope to play well.

Q. Rafa, it's unusual to see the top players playing the week before a Grand Slam. I think I'm right in saying you have never played a tournament the week before...

RAFAEL NADAL: I did, but super-long time ago (smiling).

Q. Can you just talk about whether you've ever considered when you're struggling for form or fitness whether you've ever considered playing the week before Roland Garros? If not, why not? For example, Novak is playing this week and we're surprised to see that.

RAFAEL NADAL: I want to be here before. That's the main reason. I mean, I don't think playing Geneva I'm gonna make a big difference on what's can happens here. Doesn't matter in some way. I prioritize the practices here.

First of all, what moves myself today is the motivation. I do the things that still give myself positive vibes, positive emotions, no? And practice here one week before is giving me of a lot of things that the other two events will not give me internally. That's for me the main thing more than the other stuff. Just about personal feelings and emotionally.

Q. You talked quite a bit about limitations and that you have been able to remove some of those limitations, as in moving better. Are there other things that are holding you back right now? How have you progressed overall training-wise since Rome?

RAFAEL NADAL: I was practicing better in Rome, too. Then I was not able to show on court, no. But in terms of -- obviously not showing. (Laughter.)

I mean, it's a different tournament, a different feeling completely. But I progressed, you know. In the practices, without a doubt I improved. Especially in terms of movements. So I don't feel the limitations that I felt in Rome in terms of running, both sides, so that's a lot for me.

I mean, not only about thinking in terms of having amazing results here but thinking about give myself a little bit more room to think about what can happen in the future, yeah.

Q. You said this was a magical place. Has just being here made your body feel better? Has it had an effect on, I mean, just in terms of being comfortable or in the way that your opponent on Monday once said that when you come here you hit the ball harder?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, unfortunately not. (Laughter.) Is not that magic.

But I am feeling better, you know. That's the true. Not because I am here. Probably because we did things to try to feel better, and we have been working without a stop to keep going with the process, to try to arrive here in a proper way.

Then of course the process have been not the ideal one. I wanted to have that process months ago and start with the feeling that I have today in Monte-Carlo, but you can't manage what you can't manage, you know. The things went like this, and here we are.

I am, yeah, I am grateful that I am able to be in Roland Garros and give myself a chance to play at least one more time here. Maybe the last one; maybe not. (Laughter.)

But let's explore (smiling). I mean, I hope to be clear. I mean, I don't want to create a big confusion, but I'm enjoying what I am doing. Sorry, but I am feeling competitive on the practices (smiling). Probably not yet on the professional matches. But yeah, on the practices, I can tell you, I am able to play almost against anyone. And I don't feel much worse than the others, so that's give me some hope, yeah. (Laughter.)

Q. Whether or not this is your last Roland Garros, all the fans and the players have talked about how thankful they are for what you have done for the sport. Is there anything you'd like to say to them as well?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I just can say thanks. I saw some things, I just can say thanks to all the love I received from all the players, from the organizers, from the tournaments, from all the community of tennis and sport, no? I feel very proud that probably I leave a positive legacy there. Not only about tennis. Probably about like human person, no? So that's more important than any result at the end of the day, because the results are there, you know. That's it.

The rest of the things, in some way it's something that makes me feel proud that I am going to the places and the people are happy to see me, no? I mean, you can, in some way, you can fake the crowd, you can fake the people who don't know you in a daily basis, you can create an image there, but you can't create an image with all the people that are working on a daily basis on the ATP Tour, on Roland Garros, on Rome, on Madrid, you know, on every day, people who really knows who you are and who you are realistically, not like tennis player, no, like a human person.

So I feel very proud and happy I am going to the places I feel the love of all the people who are involved, the tournaments behind the scenes. That's great. I don't feel that I am the player that, okay, I don't want to see him another time, no. I feel that the people who are working on the tournaments feels happy to watch me again. That's something that I enjoy.

Q. Rafa, you seem happy with the way this week has gone, but when you don't know what will happen, how you will respond to a match day, is that a little bit different to before and does it make it a little bit anxious sometimes?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I am not anxious. No, I am focused on trying to play well. That's it.

You know, it's a super-tough first round. Maybe I go there and I repeat the disaster of Rome. It's a possibility, of course. I don't want to hide that.

But in my mind is do something different and play much better and give myself a chance to play competitive. Then it's going to be enough or not. I mean, I didn't play five-set matches since super long time ago. I didn't play at this level of opponents being competitive since a super-long time ago. So all these questions that I understand that you are making to me I am asking to myself, too.

But the answer gonna be on Monday, no? That's it. The rest of the things are just talking and talking, and at the end doesn't matter, no? It's about my feelings. My feelings are better. I want to enjoy that match.

Is not ideal the first match, because I feel competitive to have this match later in the tournament, but it's how it is. I need to be ready since the beginning. Let's see.