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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPENAugust 14, 2013Rafael NadalCINCINNATI, OHIO R. NADAL/B. Becker THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Rafa, you had some pretty long games there, but you looked pretty in control of the match. How did it feel? RAFAEL NADAL: I played well, I think, tonight. I should be very happy the way that I played since the beginning. Just for a few games the serve was down a little bit. I served with too much second serves just a few games. For the rest, I think I played a great match. Q. How are the conditions here compared to Montreal? RAFAEL NADAL: Different. The feeling in general is different. When you change cities, change a little bit of weather, the feelings on the ball is different. The speed of the court is not exactly the same. It's a little bit slower here than in Montreal. And when you have these kind of tournaments back to back it's not easy, but I'm very happy with the way I played this afternoon and the way that I adapted the game. Q. If you could elaborate on that a little bit. You went from Canada to here, very, very quick turnaround. How does a compressed schedule work for you? What do you have to do differently in such a short period of time? RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know what I have to do differently. I have to adapt my game to the different conditions. You cannot play the same way when the court is faster than when you play on a slower court. But the idea is still the same. I played really aggressive in Montreal with changing directions and playing inside the court, and the feeling was great. I think I played great matches. And the idea is keep playing the same way to give me confidence and give me good success. So we're happy with the way I'm playing since I came back, and I'll try to keep doing this way. Q. But with the short period of time‑ you played Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and then obviously today‑ do you practice for a longer period of time or a shorter? RAFAEL NADAL: When you win a tournament like Montreal, you have very tough matches emotionally and physically, like the semifinals or like the third‑‑ fourth round for me‑‑ no, second‑‑ third round for me against Janowicz. So then physically and mentally it goes down a little bit. You go down a little bit. That's completely normal. So I didn't practice a lot on Monday, just 15 minutes. Yesterday I tried to play a little bit more, but the attitude and the rhythm is not the same. Today I had a long warmup, very intense, intensive. So I felt I was ready. Q. Any thoughts on Dimitrov tomorrow? RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, he's a great player. He's a young player. He's really destined to be in the top positions in not a very long period of time. He's doing well, and I had a tough match against him in Monte Carlo this year. He had already tough matches against Murray, Djokovic. He's a player that has great potential. Tomorrow will be a tough match for me, so I have to keep playing this way and play very well. When I have chances, I'm going to try. Q. Rafa, you played a lot of matches this year, but not a lot of matches in a row on hard courts. So how much of a test is this tournament for your knees as well as your tennis, back‑to‑back hard court events? RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think it's not a big test for me. My knees is healed, is working well for the moment. On the court, I felt more trouble was on grass because the movements are less stable and I need to play lower than in the rest of the surfaces. In the rest of the surfaces I will not say I am 100% perfect, but the way that my knee works today is not limiting my game in no way. So I'm very happy for that. I have pain sometimes, yes. That's why I say I'm not 100% perfect. But I'm 100% perfect to compete at 100% today. Q. It looks like you have another night match tomorrow. Do you have a preference between day and night? RAFAEL NADAL: I will play at 7:00 tomorrow. So I prefer at 7:00 because there's not another option. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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