An interview with: RAFAEL NADAL

PublishTime：2011-10-11 19:54:18　



Q. Why are you playing doubles? And why were you late?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, first answer, I play doubles because I like to play doubles and is much better play doubles than practice. If I can, that's good.

The negative thing in doubles, when you play singles, and after you have to wait until very late for the doubles. If not, I like to play doubles, no?

We arrived a little bit late because we had to take another way to go to the court for the people. And second thing because I am late almost always (smiling). That's the true.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about how you're feeling this late into the season. Looking forward to it ending?

RAFAEL NADAL: I am fine. I think I am playing well. I had a very good US Open. I had good matches in Davis Cup. I had a good tournament last week in Tokyo.

I happy I have enough motivation to keep playing. Today I don't have physical problems, so I'm happy. I am trying to keep try my best in every practice, in every match to find a few things I really need to keep doing better and better for next year.

I take the rest of the season, for sure is important tournaments still there, but like preparation for next season. Because practice, I don't have the chance to practice a lot.

Q. There was a lot of talk in New York about the players meeting here to discuss issues like the schedule. Do you expect to have those meetings?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think it's not the right time to talk about that. If there is any information that you have to know, you will know. There is something there, but is not the right moment to talk about it, especially when nothing clear is done. Don't to talk better than talk.

Q. You're one of the most popular players in Shanghai but you haven't got any titles here. Do you want to be the champion this time?

RAFAEL NADAL: That's what I think every time. When I go to tournament, my goal is try to play my best tennis and try to win.

I tried here few years when the Masters Cup was here. Last year I tried. I lost second round. 2009 I played the finals. So I had a good results and a few not that good. But win a Masters 1000 or a Masters Cup is very difficult.

We'll see this year. I will try my best. Tomorrow I start, so I will try my best to play well tomorrow. Think about the title before the start of the tournament is not my style.

Q. Talking about the match this afternoon, it seems you went all out and you tried to save every ball, but you lost. How do you feel now?

RAFAEL NADAL: About the loss?

Q. You tried your best to save every ball, but eventually you lost the game. Do you have any comments on the game?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, in doubles is difficult to have a lot of comments because especially the court, I saw the balls and the court very fast today, everything. Everything happen very fast.

I think we had a terrible second set. In the super tiebreak we had to win. We had chances. That's the doubles. The matches are close. You can win; you can lose. For me, I tried. Wasn't our day. Let's try in singles now.

Q. You said now is not the right time for the players to meet. Would the right time then be the big players meeting that takes place before the Australian Open or is it because Roger, as chairman of the Players Council, isn't here?

RAFAEL NADAL: I am the vice president and I am here. Is not that, the problem, in my opinion. Maybe my English is better but not enough good.

I said maybe some things are happening, but if I am not hundred percent sure about what's going on, I don't want to say nothing, especially because if I say something right now and after doesn't happen nothing, you know. Always is better talk about the things when you know exactly what's going to happen and when you know exactly what we are going to do.

So we'll see. We'll see. I am in touch always with the rest of the players. You know, I talked a lot with a lot of players last month. We'll see what we can do something.

The important thing is that, yes, I can say because I'm sure we are, most of us, almost everyone, in the same way. So like this we have power. Now we'll have to keep finding what we really want for the future and make that happen if possible.

Q. You've had some very difficult times physically during your career. Would you say this is one of the most demanding periods for you emotionally, just to try to get into a winning habit in big matches?

RAFAEL NADAL: Hard to win big matches? Big matches are not only finals, in my opinion. Semifinals are big matches. I lost a lot of finals these years this year, not these years. I am lucky. But this year, yes, I lost 7 to 10.

Is not a habit. My opponents played better than me. I not happy about a few matches. But I have won a lot of important matches. So I have won three very important semifinals against Andy in three Grand Slams this year. I have won him in Monte Carlo. I have won Roger in semifinals of Miami, in the final of Roland Garros. I don't gonna say now all the victories.

But is true, there is a few loses. I think that's not true. Is not one of the most demanding moments of the mental part for myself because I am happy about how I am doing. I understand everything is a transition, everything is a part of your career. You cannot expect to play perfect every time.

I did very well this year, not perfect. That's why I lost a few important matches. I understand that maybe that can be positive for the future or negative. You never know.

The only thing that is going through my mind now, I have enough illusion to keep practicing hard, enough motivation to keep trying my best and to keep finding solutions to be better player for next year.

Probably if I have won these matches today the situation is different and I will be very happy about everything and I will be with less mental attention than what I had today.

So you never know. Hopefully it's positive. That's what I have to think. I will see. We'll see what's going on. Let's try to end the season well.

That's true, I tried my best, being here in Tokyo and now here in Shanghai. The other player who played more matches this year is not in these two tournaments, so maybe he gonna be little bit more fresh for the last few tournaments of the year. But is a risk that I have to take because I believe I am good, am enough fit to be here.

I will try my best. We'll see.

Q. You've always been very complimentary about Andy. Was that the best that he's played against you, particularly that third set, in Tokyo?

RAFAEL NADAL: I think so, yes. Yes, was his best match I think, in my opinion, against me. He played fantastic. No mistakes. Winners from every place.

I not happy about my third set for sure. No discussion about that because I cannot lose, even if he is playing fantastic, even if he is playing perfect, I cannot lose my serve three times in a row.

The easy thing is say he played fantastic, he played better than ever, he played perfect tennis. I really cannot win that third set. That's the easiest thing. And that's the true.

Probably if I played fantastic the third set, I going to lose that set anyway because, you know, that level two days ago I wasn't ready to play at that level.

But the things that I have to improve is I have to serve enough well to survive in the match when he's playing that well, and I didn't. So that's the wrong part, the bad part for me. I think that's important thing for the future. I have to serve little bit better because a lot of players are playing really well today. For moments you cannot do much when they are playing very well, so you have to be there surviving with your serve. That's something I have to do for next year, for sure.

Q. Does your new coach team bring something different to you? What approach do you have to beat Djokovic?

RAFAEL NADAL: My uncle stay at home as usual in this part of the season, so he didn't came. My uncle normally is coming to clay season, to Australia, to Miami sometimes. He's coming to all the tournaments in Europe.

But here, you know, he has three small kids and he cannot travel every week. Anyway, is not new coach. Francis Roig stays with me. Is the seventh year. Till 2005 he is with me when my uncle is not traveling. Is nothing new.

I am not finding approaches to beat Djokovic. I am finding approaches to beat tomorrow against Guillermo Garcia.

I believe 100% in my team. I always think when I am losing, is my fault, not the fault of my team. That's what all my life I thought that. So that's not going to change today, no? I don't going to be stupid and thinking if I have to improve something is because another people gonna come. I have to improve with my people who know exactly my game and know exactly what I have to do to keep improving. I don't need any change, especially because I feel comfortable and I feel happy with my team.

The only chance to change something will be because some one of my team wants to go. I don't gonna fire no one, no.

Q. You mentioned earlier you wanted to do some things better for next year. You mentioned your serve just now. Is there anything else you'd like to share about what you need to do better and better?

RAFAEL NADAL: Everything. Today the tennis is very competitive game, very complete game. A lot of players plays very well from all the places, backhand, forehand, serve. So if you are not improving every year more and more, your chances are less.

So I want to keep having the same chances as the past and that's what I gonna try. Don't forget is my seventh year on the tour being top two, between No. 1 and No. 2 of the world. That's happened because, first thing, I was in perfect conditions mentally all these years, but second thing because I always try to improve and play better and better.

That's what I did. That's why today I am better player than in 2005, and the results says that. I played much better in all the surfaces than when I played in 2006 or 2005.

That's the goal and that's what I have to keep doing if I want to keep being here for long time. If not, I can stop, I can be happy with myself.

Q. Andy Murray says that he thinks that the standard at the top of the men's game has gone up a lot this year; all the players are playing much better than this the past. Do you agree with that? Has the standard gone up?

RAFAEL NADAL: I not agree. I am not agree. I think Djokovic, yes. I played worse than last year. I was very regular, probably even more regular than last year. But I played a little bit worse, I think. I think Roger played well, but he lost a few matches than in the past he never gonna lose.

Q. So Rafa 2010 would beat Rafa 2011?

RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe. I don't know. I don't know. But I believe Rafa 2010 had something more special than Rafa 2011, especially in tough situations. That's the true.

Win or lose depends on very, very, very small things. And probably these very, very small things I did a little bit better in 2010 than 2011, so...

When I talk about improve or when I talk about being better player, doesn't mean making big changes, no. That doesn't exist. Just always are very, very small things.

Djokovic this year already won a lot of tournaments, three Grand Slams, he didn't lost matches. Don't believe that he changed his game unbelievable. He did a few small things better than a few years ago and that's why his big success this year.

That's what I gonna try. But I am not agree with what Andy said. I think the level, no, wasn't better than 2010 or 2009. I think was similar. For my part and Roger's part a little bit worse for the moment.

Q. When was your last time you played in such a small court? Talk about the smaller court and the crowd being closer.

RAFAEL NADAL: I played a lot of matches in smaller courts, especially when I play doubles around the world. I think is good. I think the atmosphere is different. The only thing that I don't like is that the things happen faster, that the ball seems like, when you play in a smaller courts, is faster, is more difficult to return the serve.

The atmosphere in general inside the court is fantastic, have the crowd very close to the court. Is good for the crowd. I think is good for us. I think is a positive thing that we can do, we can play in different courts around the world.

www.shanghairolexmasters.com

Nadal Embracing Challenge To Improve

Shanghai, China

by ATP Staff | 11.10.2011


Nadal© Getty Images
Rafael Nadal is hoping to win the Shanghai Rolex Masters for the first time this week.

World No. 2 Rafael Nadal believes there is work to be done if he is to return to his level of 2010, when he won the Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open titles back-to-back. The Spaniard arrives at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on the back of his seventh final defeat of the season in Tokyo and on Tuesday confessed, "I believe Rafa 2010 had something more special than Rafa 2011, especially in tough situations.

"Winning or losing depends on very, very, very small things," expanded Nadal, who finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon and US Open finals. "And probably these very, very small things I did a little bit better in 2010 than 2011. It is hard to win big matches. I lost a lot of finals this year. This year I lost 7 out of 10."

Nadal did not agree with Andy Murray’s assessment that the level of the men’s game had gone up another notch this season, instead suggesting that he and Roger Federer had not been as good as in previous years, and therefore were unable to keep pace with World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. "I don’t think the level has been better than 2010 or 2009. I think it has been similar," said the Mallorcan. "For my part and Roger's part a little bit worse for the moment.

"I played worse than last year. I was very consistent, probably even more consistent than last year, but I played a little bit worse, I think. I think Roger played well, but he lost a few matches that in the past he never would have lost."

As is his wont, the 25-year-old Nadal is embracing the new challenge and, instead of concerning himself with the defeats he has suffered this season, is already thinking about how he can make the small improvements needed to return to the top of the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings.

"If you are not improving every year more and more, your chances are less," said Nadal. "Don't forget this is my seventh year on the tour being Top 2. That's happened because, first thing, I was in perfect conditions mentally all these years, but second thing because I always try to improve and play better and better. That's the goal and that's what I have to keep doing if I want to keep being here for long time.

"This is not one of the most demanding moments of the mental part for myself because I am happy about how I am doing," he explained. "I understand everything is a transition, everything is a part of your career. You cannot expect to play perfect every time. I did very well this year, not perfect. That's why I lost a few important matches. I understand that maybe that can be positive for the future or negative. You never know.

"The only thing that is going through my mind now is I have enough illusion to keep practising hard, enough motivation to keep trying my best and to keep finding solutions to be a better player for next year.

"Djokovic this year already won a lot of tournaments, three Grand Slams, he didn't lose matches. I don't believe that he changed his game unbelievably. He did a few small things better than a few years ago and that's why his big success this year. That's what I am going to try."

Nadal opens his campaign at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai against fellow Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2011/10/41/Shanghai-Tuesday-Nadal-Preview.aspx

Shanghaï - Nadal se reprend

Le 12/10/2011 à 15:12 | Mis à jour le 12/10/2011 à 17:41



Défait par Andy Murray en finale à Tokyo, dimanche, Rafael Nadal (n°1) se remet dans le sens de la marche, mercredi, avec un succès sur Guillermo Garcia-Lopez au 2e tour (6-3, 6-2).

Une victoire en forme de (double) revanche. Battu par Guillermo Garcia-Lopez lors de leur dernier rendez-vous, l'an dernier à Bangkok, et défait par Andy Murray en finale à Tokyo, le week-end dernier, Rafael Nadal remet les pendules à l'heure. Quatre breaks en poche (un dans le premier set, trois dans le second), un seul concédé (à 6-3, 2-1), le Majorquin peut aussi compter sur les nombreuses fautes directes de son compatriote (42) pour décrocher aisément son billet pour les huitièmes de finale, où l'attend Florian Mayer (n°15). Et toujours espérer un 20e titre en Masters 1000.

Andy Murray, lui aussi exempté de 1er tour en tant que tête de série numéro 2, bénéficie du forfait de Dmitry Tursunov, blessé à la cuisse droite. De son côté, Tomas Berdych (n°6), tombeur (6-4, 6-3) de Radek Stepanek, signe la bonne opération de la journée en vue du Masters après les éliminations de Mardy Fish et Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, ses concurrents directs pour l'un des trois sésames restants. Enfin, David Ferrer (n°3), victorieux de Milos Raonic (7-5, 7-6 [7]), retrouvera Juan Carlos Ferrero pour une place en quarts de finale.

www.lequipe.fr

Nadal: son mental en questions

12/10/2011 - 08:13 - Mis à jour le 12/10/2011 - 15:20

Après sa déconvenue face à Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal a concédé que le Nadal de 2010 était bien meilleur que celui de 2011, tout spécialement lors des moments importants. Battu 7 fois sur 10 en finale cette année, le N.2 mondial estime qu'il lui reste encore du travail pour retrouver son vrai niveau.

La saison 2011 n'a pas été bonne pour Rafael Nadal. Malgré trois titres de plus à son palmarès, dont Roland-Garros, cette année lui laisse tout de même un goût amer. La raison se résume en un chiffre : 7 finales perdues sur 10, dont deux en Grand Chelem. Six face à Novak Djokovic. Et la dernière face à Andy Murray en finale de Tokyo (3-6, 6-2, 6-0). Une défaite aussi étonnante dans la manière que dans le score. Cela faisait plus de deux ans que l'Espagnol n'avait plus encaissé un 6-0 dans une finale ATP. Le dernier joueur à avoir réussi cela était déjà Andy Murray à Rotterdam en février 2009 où Nadal n'était pas au top de sa forme (3-6, 6-4, 0-6).

A Shanghai où l'avant-dernier Masters 1000 de la saison bat son plein, le N.2 mondial a tenté d'expliquer ce manque de réussite par rapport aux autres saisons par un jeu qui manque de constance. "J'ai besoin de travailler davantage pour retrouver mon niveau de 2010. Je crois que le Rafael Nadal de 2010 avait quelque chose de plus spécial que celui de 2011", exprimait-il en conférence de presse avec un brin de nostalgie. "Gagner ou perdre dépend de toutes, toutes, toutes petites choses. Et ces toutes petites choses, je les faisais mieux l'an dernier." "Je ne pense pas que le niveau de jeu de 2011 soit meilleur que 2010 ou 2009. Je pense que c'est similaire", contredisant au passage ce qu'avait déclaré Andy Murray. "Pour ma part et Roger Federer, nous jouons beaucoup moins bien."

Toni : "Rafa est devenu trop nerveux"

Dans une interview accordée la semaine dernière au journal espagnol El Mundo, Toni Nadal a donné une piste plus précise. L'oncle-entraîneur du Majorquin a évoqué le "syndrome Djokovic" et sans doute posé le doigt là où ça fait mal. "Rafa est devenu trop nerveux quand il joue face à Novak Djokovic. cela s'est vu surtout à Rome. Il est clair qu'il y a eu trop de défaites face à lui. C'est vrai que Djokovic joue bien mieux cette saison par rapport aux autres joueurs. J'espère que cela ne sera pas le cas tout le temps... Le type de jeu de Rafa a déjà bien fonctionné face au Serbe. Nous savons que nous devons faire des changements, mais pas dans son jeu, surtout sur sa mentalité."

"Si tu n'évolues pas chaque année encore et encore, tes chances de gagner s'amoindrissent", estime Rafael Nadal. "N'oubliez pas que c'est ma septième année sur le circuit en étant au moins N.2 mondial. C'est arrivé parce que j'étais dans de meilleures conditions mentales toutes ces années et ensuite parce que je repoussais toujours mes limites en améliorant mon jeu. C'est mon but et c'est ce que je dois continuer à faire si je veux rester dans le gratin mondial encore longtemps."

Rafael : "J'ai encore assez d'illusions pour m'entraîner"

Nadal ne serait-il pas simplement en train de plafonner ? "Je suis conscient que je ne peux pas jouer parfaitement à chaque match. J'ai très bien joué cette année, mais pas parfaitement. Voilà pourquoi j'ai perdu des matches importants et pourquoi Djokovic, qui joue parfaitement les moments importants, a remporté trois titres du Grand Chelem cette saison. Dans mon esprit, j'ai encore assez d'illusions pour m'entraîner dur et assez de motivation pour essayer de faire toujours mieux et trouver des solutions pour un meilleur joueur l'année prochaine."

Après être passé par Pékin pour jouer un match d'exhibition face à David Ferrer, puis par Tokyo, Nadal a posé ses valises à Shanghai, tournoi qu'il débute face à sa compatriote Guillermo Garcia-Lopez au 2e tour. Dans ce lieu où il ne s'est jamais imposé malgré une finale perdue en 2009 face à Nikolay Davydenko, l'Espagnol tentera de se remettre dans le droit chemin de la victoire en essayant d'épingler un 20e titre en Masters 1000. Psychologiquement, ça ferait un bien fou au détenteur du record de victoires en Masters, d'autant que ni Roger Federer, ni Novak Djokovic ne seront là pour le contrarier. Tenant du titre, Andy Murray, lui, sera bien là.

www.eurosport.fr

Mayer s'offre Nadal

Tennis - ATP - Shanghai

Rafael Nadal, tête de série numéro 1, chute dès les huitièmes de finale à Shanghai, contre l'Allemand Florian Mayer (7-6 [7/5], 6-3).

Grosse sensation à Shanghai. Rafael Nadal a été éliminé dès les huitièmes de finale par Florian Mayer ce jeudi. L'Allemand s'est imposé en deux sets (7-6 [7/5], 6-3) et 1h47 de jeu sans coup férir contre la tête de série numéro 1 du tournoi. Nadal rejoint ainsi Gilles Simon dans la catégorie des éliminés surprise du jour. Et Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Nicolas Almagro et Mardy Fish dans celle des têtes de série déjà sorties. David Ferrer aurait pu les rejoindre, mais il a sauvé trois balles de match contre Juan Carlos Ferrero. C'est la troisième fois de suite que Nadal, détenteur du record de victoires dans la catégorie (19), déçoit en Masters 1000 après son élimination au deuxième tour à Montréal et en quarts à Cincinnati.

Le numéro deux mondial, qui n'avait jamais joué contre Florian Mayer au cours de sa carrière, est tombé sur un adversaire très solide, qui n'a concédé aucune balle de break dans la première manche. Nadal, lui, a dû en sauver deux. Après une petite alerte en milieu de set - Nadal s'est plaint de la cheville -, l'Espagnol a tenu physiquement pour emmener son adversaire au tie-break.

Mayer ne s'est pas précipité et il a logiquement empoché ce jeu décisif (7/5). Il a ensuite déroulé pour remporter la plus belle victoire de sa carrière, lui qui n'avait jamais battu un membre du Top 4, puisqu'il a perdu trois fois contre Roger Federer et à une reprise contre Novak Djokovic et Andy Murray. L'Allemand jouera son quart de finale contre Feliciano Lopez, tombeur (6-4, 6-4) de Tomas Berdych.

Rafael Nadal : «C'est une journée décevante. J'ai eu l'impression de tout faire correctement. A mon avis ma principale erreur a été de mal négocier le deuxième jeu du deuxième set. Quand votre adversaire joue bien, il faut saisir toutes les opportunités. Mais bon c'est le sport, il a mieux joué que moi, il continue et je sors. C'est tout.»

A.D.

www.lequipe.fr

An interview with: RAFAEL NADAL 10.13

PublishTime：2011-10-14 10:50:27

Q. Florian is a very unorthodox player. Did you find that part of his game tough tonight? He's not like most players.

RAFAEL NADAL: He play very well. That's true. He play really well. I didn't. I felt that I was not playing bad from the baseline. But my return, when he was serving the first serve, was terrible tonight. I only won four points in whole match with the first serve of him. So we cannot expect win a match when the opponent is playing well, is serving well, is doing very good serve and volleys, returning, and only winning four points with returning the first serve, no?

Congratulate him.

For me today is disappointing day. I felt that I did everything right. I was in the right line since the week before the US Open. I think I was doing everything right, practicing with good motivation, practicing well in general. I had a good result in US Open. I had a good result last week.

Today is a tough lose, that's the true. Just congratulate him and that's it. For me today is hard to say more things because I felt that I was doing everything right before the tournament. Was not my day. I am out of the tournament. I gonna work hard for the next tournament.

Q. Could you compare with the loss of last year at the same stage of the tournament or is it quite different?

RAFAEL NADAL: Against Melzer?

Q. Yes.

RAFAEL NADAL: No comparation. Last year I was too tired. I came here with not less motivation, because always I want to play well, always I want to have a good results, but I came to this tournament with different feeling.

This year I came to this tournament with a positive feeling, thinking that I am doing the right things. Last year I came here and I felt too tired. I felt not ready to compete at my best. This time I felt like this, and I didn't.

Is an opportunity lost for me. To be in the top, to win tournaments, can happen less, you cannot lose opportunities. Today I felt I lost an opportunity to have a fantastic tournament here, and that's the negative part.

If you are playing bad and you lose, it's fine. But my feeling is I was playing really good before the tournament. Is for that reason that the lose is tougher. But that's sport. You win, you lose. That's part of the game. That what makes the game interesting for everybody.

Just accept the lose, accept that I have to keep working with the same line for the next two or three months, for the next season, and hopefully I can start the next season with more power, with a few things better.

I think I'm in the right line. But today was little bit breaking.

Q. Before next season you still have three pretty big events this season. You're not going to play anything between now and Paris? Paris, London, Seville?

RAFAEL NADAL: I hope so. I hope so. I don't know nothing about my calendar yet. The season is been long for me. Very positive season but at the same time tough season for me. These kind of loses affect. It's normal.

Today is not the best day to think about the rest of the season. Today is the best day to go to play golf tomorrow morning, to have a rest little bit.

I think I don't need rest now, but always will be positive have a week off. That's what I gonna do, have a week off, keep practicing the same way that I was doing before this event, to try to be ready for Paris, for London. That's what I gonna do.

Q. A question about next year's schedule. Can you tell us about your reasons for not playing at Queen's next year and how much of this has to do with the UK tax law, the amount of money you stand to lose from your endorsements?

RAFAEL NADAL: First thing, Queen's is a fantastic tournament but is not the only one that week. I didn't play in Germany for the last three years. I like to play in all the tournaments when they really want me. For last four years, I played on Queen's. So we thought is the right moment to change. I am not changing because Halle is paying me more money than Queen's. That's not the reason.

But is true, the tax regime from UK is complicating a lot of things because to go and play Queen's, the problem is not win, the problem is I can lose money because I go there, I play for one week, they take out money from my sponsors. That's a lot.

I gonna play in Wimbledon. I gonna to play in the World Tour Finals. So there is a lot of weeks, a lot of tax. Is being more and more complicated to play in the UK in these moments.

But the true is Halle is a fantastic tournament, and they really want me there for long time. I finish my contract with Queen's. So the reason you have to watch that is not only the tax problem. I played on Queen's for the last four years with this tax regime, so is not only that, not only for that. I like to play in all the tournaments on the tour when they really want me. I went to Bangkok last year. Now I going to be on Halle. That's fine.

I gonna be in Wimbledon playing and I gonna be in the World Tour Finals playing, so London is not done for me. But for sure I love Queen's.

Q. Back to tonight's match. Obviously you were so sharp yesterday, it might be a bit early, but is there a moment you can pinpoint where your game wasn't right?

RAFAEL NADAL: From the beginning I felt he was doing a lot of things really good when he was serving. He put all the times balls in really complicated situations for me.

But seriously, from the beginning I felt playing well, too. So I wasn't really worried because I was happy with how I was playing. But when the match was coming and coming, I felt that I wasn't able to return well the first serve.

Playing against a player who is doing really well, the serve and volley, who is finishing the balls and the points very easy with lot of confidence, if you're not able to return the first serve longer and, first thing, put the ball inside, is a lot of pressure for the rest of the points for me.

I returned well the second serve. I did well when he was serving the second serve. But he served a big percentage of first serves and was too much pressure for me when I was serving.

But for me the mistake, the really big mistake, was in the second game of the second set. It was Love 30. I have Love 30 and two points with second serve. When the opponent is playing well, you have to convert these opportunities. I had the mistake from the return in Love 30, and 15 30 I returned shorter than the rest of the points with my forehand.

So that's sport. He did better than me. I am out. He gonna play tomorrow. That's all.

Q. Back on the tax question in the UK. The World Tour Finals are in London for two more years. After that, do you think the top players will maybe think they will not want to do another deal for London because of the tax situation?

RAFAEL NADAL: What do you want to heard?

Q. I want to hear what you think.

RAFAEL NADAL: I believe, what I believe in my heart, there is a fantastic event. Full crowd every match. Fantastic stadium. But London is not the only city in the world.

Is true, is really tough what's happening today in the UK with the tax. There is lot of things really positive. This thing is probably really negative. So if that change the chances to keep having the World Tour Finals in London, gonna be very, very high.

Q. Yesterday you complained about the ball. How do you feel tonight? The same feeling as yesterday?

RAFAEL NADAL: I like to have comments about things like the ball when I am winning, not when I'm losing. I said what I had to say yesterday. Today is not the right day.

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