Pas facile pour Nadal face à Verdasco

Jeudi 18 août 2011
ASSOCIATED PRESS

MASON, États-Unis - Rafael Nadal a repoussé son compatriote espagnol Fernando Verdasco et arraché une victoire de 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (9), jeudi, pour atteindre les quarts de finale du tournoi de Cincinnati.

Verdasco a réalisé 48 coups gagnants, contre 29 pour Nadal. Verdasco a toutefois commis 41 erreurs non-provoquées contre 31 pour son vis-à-vis durant la rencontre, qui a duré trois heures et 37 minutes à l'occasion d'une belle journée ensoleillée.

«La vérité c'est que je suis très content, a déclaré Nadal avant d'aller se préparer pour son match de double. Je suis très satisfait de ma victoire, c'était un match difficile pour nous deux.»

Nadal, deuxième tête de série, a porté sa fiche à 12-0 en carrière contre Verdasco, un joueur non-classé.

«C'est toujours bien de disputer un bon match, a mentionné Verdasco. Mais quand tu perds de cette façon, c'est évidemment plus difficile à digérer. Je suis passé tellement près... mais c'est ça le tennis.»


Nadal avait encore deux doigts de la main droite enrubannés, afin de les protéger des brûlures qu'ils ont subies. Nadal, un gaucher, a déclaré qu'il s'était brûlé en touchant une assiette trop chaude dans un restaurant cette semaine.

Ce match était le premier à exiger trois bris d'égalité depuis 2008.

En quarts de finale, Nadal affrontera la septième tête de série Mardy Fish, qui a disposé de Richard Gasquet 7-5, 7-5.

«Quand tu t'apprêtes à affronter quelqu'un comme Rafa, tu espères qu'il aura joué un match de quatre heures juste avant votre duel, a évoqué Fish. Il fait vraiment chaud sur le terrain, je suis sûr qu'il sera fatigué.»

SOURCE

Nadal au bord du KO

Vendredi 19 août 2011 - 10:56

Rafael Nadal a été poussé dans ses derniers retranchements par son compatriote Fernando Verdasco, jeudi au 3e tour du Masters 1000 de Cincinnati. L'ex-numéro 1 mondial l'a emporté après trois jeux décisifs et cinq balles de match en plus de 3 heures 30 minutes. Nadal s'en est sorti de justesse 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (11/9). Nadal a eu très chaud dès le premier set, quand il a dû deux fois revenir d'un break de retard avant de remporter le tie-break avec l'aide d'une double faute de Verdasco (7 au total). En deuxième manche, le Majorquin a encore dû débreaker pour rester au contact, mais c'est le Madrilène qui a pris le meilleur au jeu décisif en prenant trois des six points de service adverses. Dans la dernière manche, les deux Ibères se rendent coup pour coup. Mais Verdasco n'est pas parvenu à garder son sang-froid dans le jeu décisif. Il a donné ses quatre premières balles de match à Nadal sur des fautes directes.

"J'ai eu des hauts et des bas, a expliqué Nadal. Ce match va beaucoup m'aider, sûrement pas vendredi car je serai fatigué, mais pour le prochain tournoi." Nadal sera en effet tenant du titre à l'US Open.

Après son marathon, Nadal est allé jouer, et perdre, en double avec son copain Marc Lopez. "Je ne pouvais pas ne pas jouer, a dit le Majorquin. Marc est venu exprès d'Espagne pour ça. Il a besoin des points et de l'argent."

www.sport.fr

Cincinnati (H) : Nadal lucide

Rédaction Sport365

jeudi 18 août 2011 - 23h45

Accroché par Fernando Verdasco, Rafael Nadal s’est finalement qualifié pour les quarts de finale du Masters 1000 de Cincinnati (7-6, 6-7, 7-6). Brouillon, le n°2 mondial a reconnu que son adversaire aurait mérité un meilleur sort.

Rafael Nadal a eu chaud. Face à son ami Fernando Verdasco, le n°2 mondial est passé tout près de l’élimination. Vainqueur aux tie-break, le Majorquin sait que c’est son mental, plus que son jeu, qui lui a permis de s’imposer jeudi. « Je suis content, mais Frenando Verdasco a fait un bon match. J’ai été meilleur mentalement que lui. Ca fait un moment que je fais des compétitions et cela m’a servi pour gérer la pression. C’est une victoire importante, il faut continuer, c’est une bonne chose parce que je suis en quart. Mais j’ai commis beaucoup d’erreurs, j’ai mal joué à 5-1 (dans le tie-break), j’étais nerveux. Je suis désolé pour Verdasco qui mérite de gagner à certains moments. Mais au final, la balle est dans mon camp. »

www.sport365.fr

Nadal: "He logrado ganar pero he podido perder tranquilamente"

"Llevo tiempo sin competir y no he entrenado lo que hubiera querido. En Montreal, perder tan pronto fue un duro golpe", comenta

EFE 18/08/11 - 21:25.

El español Rafael Nadal, que se impuso en un encuentro épico a su compatriota Fernando Verdasco (7-6(5), 6-7(4) y 7-6(9) después de más de tres horas y media, reconoció que aún no está en su mejor momento y que aunque ganó, también sintió cerca la derrota.

"Llevo tiempo sin competir y no he entrenado lo que hubiera querido. En Montreal, perder tan pronto fue un duro golpe. Se fue abajo todo el trabajo. Era volver a empezar. He logrado ganar aunque he podido perder tranquilamente. Ha caído de mi lado y estoy feliz", resumió el tenista manacorí en declaraciones en Teledeporte.

Rafael Nadal achaca los altibajos que padece su juego a la falta de continuidad después de un tiempo sin competir. Para el número dos del mundo el triunfo ante Verdasco fue más emocionante que bueno.

"Ha sido más emocionante que partidazo. Hubo más errores de los debidos pero para mí ha sido muy importante el triunfo. Seguir en el torneo es una gran noticia para mí. Llegar a cuartos es importante. He jugado mal en el 5-1 por los nervios y esto te vale para otros partidos. Lo siento por Fernando, que mereció ganar en algunos momentos", añadió Nadal.

El jugador balear reconoció que había "cometido muchos errores con la derecha. Me costó ganar. Ha sido un partido complicado. Pero la victoria es muy importante para seguir compitiendo en este torneo", concluyó.

SOURCE

Nadal: ´Me costaba mucho leerle la pelota a Verdasco´

Para el balear, lo único positivo del partido ha sido que "he estado más o menos frío de cabeza";

EP/CINCINNATI El tenista español Rafa Nadal se ha mostrado crítico con su juego tras lograr el pase a los cuartos de final del Masters 1.000 de Cincinnati, después de derrotar (7-6, 6-7, 7-6) a su compatriota Fernando Verdasco, y ha destacado que lo único positivo fue haber estado "más o menos frío de cabeza".

"Hoy estuve más o menos frío de cabeza, es lo único positivo. Por lo demás he cometido muchos errores con mi 'drive', es verdad también que me costaba mucho leerle la pelota a Verdasco. Ha sido un partido complicado", comentó en declaraciones a TVE recogidas por Europa Press.

Nadal sufrió mucho para vencer a Verdasco y el partido no tuvo un claro favorito en ningún momento. "Ha sido más emocionante que partidazo, ha habido más errores de los debidos. Es una victoria importante, seguir en el torneo es una gran noticia para mi, aparte de estar en cuartos de final también porque llevo un tiempo que he competido poco", comentó.

"Partidos así me sirven para sentir los momentos de presión, para saber que he jugado muy mal en el 5-1 (en el 'tie break' decisivo) por los nervios, estos momentos te ayudan para el siguiente partido que se presente esta situación hacerlo mejor", confesó.

"No he entrenado lo que me hubiera gustado y cuando vuelves después de mucho tiempo sin competir y en el primer torneo pierdes en un partido que deberías haber ganado, el trabajo hecho se viene abajo y es un golpe que tienes que superar. Esto se nota en los momentos de presión y en la continuidad del juego también. Lo importante es que he podido ganar. Podía haber ganado o haber perdido, así que ahora a seguir", apuntó.

Por último, Nadal fue preguntado sobre la polémica vivida en el Camp Nou en la vuelta de la Supercopa de España entre Barcelona y Real Madrid. "Evidentemente son lances del partido que no me toca a mi opinar sobre estas cosas. Hay mucha tensión, es complicado. Yo creo que al fin y al cabo es un juego, es deporte y a partir de ahí hay que intentar darlo todo en el campo para ganar pero sabiendo que hay cosas más importantes que ganar o perder", finalizó.

SOURCE

Nadal n'y est plus

Tennis-ATP-Cincinnati

Déjà à la peine sur ses deux premiers matches, Rafael Nadal n'a rien pu faire face à un Mardy Fish qui marche sur l'eau en ce moment (6-3, 6-4).


Nadal sorti par Fish(REUT)

Les défaites face à Novak Djokovic accumulées depuis le début de l'année ont sûrement ébréché très profondément la cuirasse de Rafael Nadal. L'Espagnol n'arrive plus à se montrer saignant et n'est plus ce tueur de match tant redouté. Pourtant, face à Mardy Fish, on pouvait espérer que le fantomatique Nadal qui avait été à la peine lors de ses deux premiers matches face à Benneteau et Verdasco à Cincinnati allait laisser place au conquistador. Pour preuve, Fish n'avait eu qu'une seule balle de break à négocier lors de ses deux premiers tours et il devait déjà en défendre deux sur son premier jeu de service. Le numéro deux mondial semblait dans les meilleures conditions. Las, de nouveau son coup droit s'est enrayé et sa longueur de balle avait perdu énormément en précision.

En face, Mardy Fish résistait à la pression et prenait le filet dès que possible, aidé par une énorme première balle de service. Plus entreprenant, plus audacieux, l'Américain qui vit un été fantastique faisait le break dès le quatrième jeu du premier set et ne lâchait pas cet avantage pour remporter la manche initiale (6-3).

Fish sur un nuage

Avec 84 % de réussite derrière sa première balle de service, Fish disposait d'un net avantage sur Nadal qui ne parvenait à faire le point que trop rarement et ne convertissait notamment aucune des quatre balles de break qu'il s'était procurées. Trop juste dans l'échange et ne parvenant pas à déclencher sa force de frappe pour mettre au supplice un adversaire à la mobilité toute nouvelle en fond de court, Nadal a confirmé ses difficultés depuis son retour sur les courts à l'occasion de la tournée US. La fatigue des 4 heures de tennis pratiquée la veille sous un soleil de plomb ne devaient pas aider mais ne peuvent pas tout expliquer. Un deuxième break dans la dernière manche en faveur de Fish et c'en était trop pour l'Espagnol aux doigts brûlés. L'US Open ne se présente décidément pas sous les meilleurs augures. Fish, lui, continue de rêver éveillé. Il rencontrera Andy Murray, tombeur de Gilles Simon, au tour suivant.
Bertrand LAGACHERIE

www.lequipe.fr

An interview with Rafael Nadal

August 17, 2011
CINCINNATI, OHIO
R. NADAL/J. Benneteau
6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. He's played you pretty close the last couple years. What is it about him?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry?

Q. He's played you pretty close at this event the last couple years.
RAFAEL NADAL: Last year, yes.

Q. What kind of problems does he pose you when he's on?
RAFAEL NADAL: Last year he played really close. He had match point, and these things -- I didn't have that feeling today.
I had the match all the time - almost all the time - under control. I played a really bad game with the 5-4 to close the match, but for the rest of the match I think I had the control of the match and I played well.
Last year was a very different history.

Q. Were you satisfied with your performance today? What did you like about your game?
RAFAEL NADAL: My serve worked well today; my forehand for almost all the time I hit very good shots. I think I did almost everything well, but, you know, less time that I would love to do it.
I did a lot of things well, but not in every point. I played three points well; after I played two points bad. So I am in the right way, but I need to keep having matches. For sure that's important for me now.
Just like this, having matches, I will find my rhythm all the time, no? I have to play consistent every point. I have to play with the highest intensity in every moment. The game with 5-4 on my serve cannot happen. You can lose a serve, but you cannot play that bad.
So that probably affected me a little bit. The moments that I spend one week ago in Montréal when I lost the match, serving for the match, no, always the confidence goes down a little bit after one match like that.
So that probably affected me a little bit today with 5-4 and the serve. For the rest I am happy. I have to keep going, and that's what I will try.

Q. The yellow Aston Martin is not the parking lot anymore. Did you get to meet them?
RAFAEL NADAL: I bought. (Smiling.)

Q. Did you?
RAFAEL NADAL: (Laughter.) No.

Q. Did you scare them away?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no? I met them. Honor meet a great fan like this, because to have an Aston Martin like this you must be a really big fan. It was really an honor, and just can say thanks to them for the big support.
THE MODERATOR: The car is still there.

Q. A Spanish speaker in the audience heard you scream, Cheese and crackers at one of the big moments. Is that the strongest language you've got?
RAFAEL NADAL: (In Spanish.)
THE MODERATOR: That is not translating how you're thinking.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. When?

Q. Some time today they thought you said that.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, for sure not. Nothing strange I say during the match.

Q. Will your family be in New York with you this year? Don't your mom and sister like to go as well?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe. I don't know. If they want to come, for me always is a pleasure. So I don't know if they have the plan to come. I don't know I don't know when my dad, my mom, and my sister have the plans to be there. I don't know.
I think they want to come, but I don't know if for the beginning of the tournament, I don't know the week before the tournament, I don't know if after the first week of the tournament.
If they want to come in the second week, always is a risk that I will be in Mallorca before they came to New York. So you never know.

Q. How are things physically? Apart from the hands there, have you got any...
RAFAEL NADAL: I got burned. I had a little bit of accident in a restaurant a few days ago. No, just that.

Q. Is it causing discomfort when you play?
RAFAEL NADAL: A little bit. If you see the blister, you can imagine. I don't going to show you now.

Q. What happened in the restaurant?
RAFAEL NADAL: It was an accident. The plate was very, very hot and I get burned, so...

Q. Was that here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah.

Q. You had a good doubles match yesterday. Does that help with singles, give you confidence, good practice
RAFAEL NADAL: Always a victory is a victory. I enjoy playing doubles with Marc Lopez. He's a good friend of mine. For me always a pleasure to play with him.
I had fun, and for me it's always important to practice before my match, too. Was a good practice yesterday. We won; we are happy for that. We have another chance tomorrow.

www.asapsports.com

An interview with Rafael Nadal

August 18, 2011
CINCINNATI, OHIO
R. NADAL/F. Verdasco
7-6, 6-7, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk about how you're feeling physically after playing for three hours and 38 minutes as well as doubles.
RAFAEL NADAL: Fantastic.

Q. When Mardy Fish was in here, who you're playing next, he was asked about playing a long match and then playing doubles. Fish said something like, Oh, I can't imagine he'll actually play doubles. Did you think about pulling out of doubles?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think. For me wasn't a choice, no? I have a friend here. I play with one of my best friends. He came from Spain to play the doubles. If I don't go on court today, he don't have the points or the prize money of the second round.
I cannot thought about that, even if I am tired. That's what happened. I had to play, and I tried my best. We lost. I go home - well, not home, to the hotel - to relax a little bit and try to be competitive for tomorrow. (Laughter.)

Q. You won today. How did the match leave you feeling about your play?
RAFAEL NADAL: Was important victory for me. Wasn't an easy match. I think for moments I played well; for moments I played not that well, especially with the 5-1 of the tiebreak. I played a few really bad points.
I'm very happy I'm through; I'm in the quarterfinals. It's positive result for me. I need to spend hours on court. I would like to have one hour less than what I have, but was positive. It was a positive one.
Probably this match will help me for the -- I don't think for this tournament, but for the next one, yes. For this tournament, probably tomorrow I going to be a little bit more tired than what I would like to be. These kind of matches feel this pressure, finally winning one match like this when I had a few mistakes, when I had the match under control, even after I suffered a lot, because the end of the match was very close and emotional for me.
Was a positive thing to end with the victory. Hopefully I will be ready for tomorrow. I will try my best. He's playing really well. I think this kind of matches helps a lot for the US Open.

Q. What was the difference in the match today? There was just a few points here and there. Is there anything you can point to technically that enabled you to win?
RAFAEL NADAL: Probably I had a little bit few mistakes than him when the match was close. It's true he was playing more spectacular points than my ones, but I think I played with less mistake than him at the end.
One less mistake in the match and arrive to the...

Q. There were a lot unforced errors on both sides.
RAFAEL NADAL: Exactly. The court is not easy. It's very fast and the ball is flying a lot. For me, very difficult to have the control of the ball here in this court.
But I will try my best tomorrow. I think I have to do, and I will try for sure. I'm very happy to be in quarterfinals. I'm excited about the match of tomorrow.

Q. You mentioned it was an emotional match. Is that because you're playing a fellow Spaniard? I know there are a lot of you out there. How much different is it playing a fellow countryman than someone else?
RAFAEL NADAL: Really doesn't matter. It's a competition, and we already played -- it's 12 times that we played against each other, no, so it's nothing new for us.
Really doesn't matter. You want to win; everybody wants to win. He's a friend, but that's it.
All the match end in the court.

Q. Your opponent tomorrow, Mardy Fish, has had a very good summer and has won a lot matches here and moved up the rankings quickly.
RAFAEL NADAL: Uh-huh.

Q. What do you know about him and his style of play?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played already five or six times against him. I know a lot about him. (Smiling.)

Q. No, I mean since he's been on a really hot streak recently.
RAFAEL NADAL: He's a very good player and did very well in Wimbledon, very well last week in Montréal. He's doing very well here. Going to be a very difficult match tomorrow. He's aggressive player, fantastic serve, and very good volley. He's moving much better than before from the baseline with less unforced errors.
So he's a very dangerous player. What ranking? He's No. 7 of the world? So you cannot expect have an easy match against No. 7 of the world. Mardy is a fantastic player and one of the most dangerous players on the tour.

Q. You talked about how Novak is a mental challenge for you. For some reason it happens that when players have a new challenge, they struggle with their game against other players as well.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, probably today I'm a little bit too tired to talk about Novak. That's the true. You can ask me every day. I am happy to answer every day before this, but I have to go to rest. It's 7:30. For me, the mental part against Novak...

Q. I mean against everybody else because you have a new challenge.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't understand the question. (Through translation.) I don't have a personal rivalry against Novak. I have a rivalry against everybody. I try my best every day when I go on court. This year, Novak is doing fantastic things, fabulous what he's doing, it's really amazing, and probably impossible to repeat for the rest of us.
I want to congratulate him, but for me the challenge is not different. I have a goal right now, and that's improve my tennis to be enough good to compete against him for next yeah. For this year, I don't have enough time to practice, but hopefully for next year, yes.
I have to change and improve a few things, and that's what I going to try.

Q. How is your hand after the fingers you burned? Any better? Any worse?
RAFAEL NADAL: A little bit better, but I'm playing with big bandage - very big one - and it's very difficult to have the feeling. Even when I am serving, to put the ball at the right place, it's not easy for me.

Q. You know what time to be ready tomorrow. What type of food are you going to be having tonight and tomorrow? You have a time.
RAFAEL NADAL: Normal food. I don't have a big -- not big, I don't have nothing of diet. I will eat tonight. When I go to the menu, I will see something that I would like to eat, and that's what I going to eat.
The thing that can help you that little bit don't going to affect a lot for the match. Important thing is have a good rest, do the right things, drink a lot, and for the rest. For sure I don't going to eat, I don't know, like crazy, because I have to go on court tomorrow not late.
I would love to play a little bit later tomorrow, no? I play at 1:00 another time with all the sun there. After today, more than probably five hours on court, is, for me, a little bit too early.
I would love to play later, but that's what happened when you play doubles, too.

Q. You played Fernando so many times. I know you respect all your opponents, but how did you guard against overconfidence? You had beaten him 11 straight times.
RAFAEL NADAL: 12.

Q. Before today.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think about that when I go on court. I think about play well. I know if I don't play well, I going to have a good chance to lose. Today was very close.
Doesn't matter what happened in the past. For sure I prefer have 11 wins on my side than have 11 loses. The mental part is there. But every match is different.

www.asapsports.com

An interview with Rafael Nadal

August 19, 2011
CINCINNATI, OHIO
M. FISH/R. Nadal
6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The blisters on your right hand, were they bothering you a little bit at all during the match today? Affecting your ball toss?
RAFAEL NADAL: Not more than the other days, no? That's true. I don't have a lot of feeling when I threw the ball with the right hand, and to play with the backhand, too. But nothing strange. Nothing more than the previous days.
So I lost because Mardy played much better than me. I had a few chances. A little bit unlucky for moments. But that's tennis and that's sport.
Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose. Sometimes you are playing well; sometimes you are playing worse. I am playing a little bit worse now than well, so I accept the lose and work hard. The only way to come back to my best level.

Q. Do you feel like you got a good amount of play in and practice in going into the US Open next couple weeks?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't play well. I didn't play well here, especially. In Montréal I played for moments well. In Montréal was the really mistake for me. Here, a lot of things.
A little bit unlucky week for me with the burned fingers and with the very long match yesterday. Today is not a big mistake. Big mistake was last week in the first round.

Q. Hindsight being 20/20, do you regret playing doubles? Being on court for five hours, did it impact your performance today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Definitely the doubles didn't bother me.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
RAFAEL NADAL: I said yesterday yes, but nothing change for that, no? Maybe a little bit more rest, but it's not the moment to talk about that. I said yesterday.
I cannot say today because I lost. Everything you say seems like an excuse. The only excuse is he played better than me.

Q. Can you give us an update on your foot? You had a treatment during the match.
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't have a treatment. I just pulled out one tape. Yesterday the match was long and hard and I have a few blisters in the foot, so I had to protect everything.
But was pain for me and I had to take one tape.

Q. You said Mardy was playing well. Is there anything in your game that didn't meet your expectations today, other than you lost, I mean reasons why?
RAFAEL NADAL: A little bit of everything. My movements are not being prefect, more mistakes than usual with the forehand. I have to play more inside the court, more aggressive.
At the same time, I have to play longer. You know, I don't want to talk about the backhand because I have this, so I didn't have the chance to practice the backhand and I didn't have the chance to play normal backhand, no?
But for the rest, few things to improve if I want to be ready for New York. I going to work on that. I don't know if I will be in perfect conditions in New York, but for sure everything I will try.

Q. Will your fingers be healed by New York? Will they be better before the US Open?
RAFAEL NADAL: Hopefully. Fingers stays a little bit so-so. Fingers are not easy. Hopefully going to be okay for New York.

Q. Are those the worst blisters you've had on your hand?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is not a blister, it's a burn, so it's worse.

Q. Before the US Open last year you talked about changing your game a lot to try to win the US Open, being more aggressive...
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't change my game a lot last year to play the US Open. My serve worked really well, but I played well. I played well a lot of times on hard court, not only in the US Open last year. I won the Olympics; Montréal; I won Toronto; I won in Indian Wells twice; few finals in Miami.
So it's nothing that you think I played something very different last year in New York. No, I played well. That's what happened. I played well and the serve worked better than other times. That's what happened.

Q. Seems like when you've had hard court success you've been more aggressive. You haven't hit that many winners here in Cincinnati in this match or against Verdasco.
RAFAEL NADAL: When I am having success in hard court, in grass court, in clay court, is when I am playing well. Doesn't matter. If I am playing well, I can play aggressive. If I am not playing well, I cannot play aggressive because I don't have enough good feelings to do it.
If I am playing bad on clay, I don't win, I lose. If I am playing bad on grass, I lose. That's the sport. You play well, you have more chances to win; you play bad, you have more chances to lose.
I know seems like it's too simple, but is very simple. Tennis is a simple game. You don't have to think a lot what's going on. The thing is I have to work hard to be fast, to be enough fast to come inside the court and take the ball early.
I have to be ready to play with high intensity and with my best rhythm for four hours. I have to be ready to defend well and I have to be ready to be focused and for sure prepared well mentally to play the important moments of the matches.
So I didn't here. For example, in the break point of the second set with the 4-3 I had the big mistake with the forehand to the net with the second serve. So that's the chances when the match change.
I had mistake in the first ball, so that's what cannot happen if I want to have success in New York. That's what I going to try, and that's the sport.

Q. Mardy mentioned in the first set he was going forehand to your backhand a lot and you changed the rhythm on him in second set. What do you do to change that?
RAFAEL NADAL: I started to play slower later. Was a little bit too late. I started to play slower and trying to go inside the court when I had the chance, but I played a little bit too flat for a lot of moments. Open the court and his movements was very good. He had very good shots; his defense was good.
So later I tried to play more to the middle, a little bit longer, higher. I think it worked well, but it was too late. And I had the mistake with the break point. That's it.
I was a little bit unlucky at the beginning of the match.

Q. 2-All in the second set, you had a first serve called out and the replay showed it was good. You had a discussion with the chair umpire. What did he tell you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Nothing. He's is fantastic umpire. It's he's not a bad umpire. Mohamed is one of the best umpires of the tour.

Q. Looked look you wanted the point...
RAFAEL NADAL: The best players of the world have mistakes, and the best umpires of the world have mistakes. Today he was wrong, because the call -- I didn't see the view on the TV, but I am 100% sure that the line said out after Mardy hit the ball.
I am 100% sure, so the point is for me. Sometimes I understand with the Hawk-Eye with these things, but, you know, they are the umpires and they're there to analyze what's going on. They have make the right decision.
He hit the ball after the line said out, so the point is for me. No doubt about that. I am talking only about that, this point. In general, that's not going to affect my lose today. Just talking about this moment.
For the rest he was playing better than me and he beat me.

Q. What do you have to change specifically to defend your US Open title? You mentioned you weren't playing well here and you need to play better. What specifically do you want to do for the Open that you didn't do here?
RAFAEL NADAL: I have to play my game. I have to play aggressive. I have to move faster. I have to play with more intensity and less mistakes. You know, sometimes play well -- is not the first time in my career that I am not playing that well, no? Last year I played terrible here, probably worse than this year.
Play well or play bad sometimes is just a click. It's very close. The important thing is be ready to change the situation and for sure be enough fresh mentally and physically, too, to have the view about what you really need to change the situation.
I going to realize with Francis here, Toni is coming on Tuesday. I have one week to practice before the beginning of the US Open, and I have to be ready for that. If I am not ready for that, that's it.
I had a lot success in my career, and is not going to be always like this.

Q. The burns look really bad. Was that just a normal plate or a metal thing?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, it was ceramic.

Q. They just put it in your hand?
RAFAEL NADAL: I just touch it like this.

Q. Really?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. It was very hot. I don't know why the people from the restaurant didn't tell me that the plate was that hot.

Q. Did you go back it that restaurant again?
RAFAEL NADAL: No thanks. Bad memories.

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