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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 17, 2017

Rafael Nadal

Rome, Italy

R. NADAL/N. Almagro

3-0 [ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you explain to us what happened? I guess you have talked to Nico, the injury and stuff.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no. It's difficult to say something, because we need to wait a couple of days. It's difficult to see what's going on now just after what happened.

He felt something on the knee. But I asked now to the doctor, but the doctor don't know exactly yet, no. So we need to wait a couple of hours and do the checks, and we will see.

Q. You didn't play much today, but you had some great matches in the last weeks. Are there some respects in your game you're not happy with right now?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am happy with almost everything, no? I am playing well. I won a lot of matches this year, no?

There is always things to improve, but is not the right time to say I'm not happy with one thing or another, no? I am happy with everything. But always there is the motivation to keep going and to keep improving something.

Q. A question on Andy Murray who lost last night and has been struggling a bit this year as No. 1 and hasn't gone too deep in many tournaments. What do you make of his current play right now and the difficulty that might come with being No. 1 and the attention it brings, if that could be a factor for him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't think being No. 1 affects on play a little bit worse, no? I don't see a reason why.

But at the same time, it's so difficult to be on the top of your game and mentality for every week. He had unbelievable year last year, winning almost all the matches, and especially in the last part of the season without losing a match.

And that's tough, no? Physically, mentally, it's tough to do what he did at the end of his season. He probably was a little bit tired after that, no?

But, no, he's a great player, unbelievable player. He lost yesterday. He lost in Madrid without playing a great match, I think. He will be ready for Roland Garros, I think. He has one week and a half to practice, and he will be one of the candidates.

Q. Last year at this time you have been suffering with wrist injuries, pain. But this year you have been playing great so far. Do you think taking longer offseason end of the last year helped you? Do you think there was a reason that you can play this good this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. What helped to me is that I was able to practice as much as I can, as much as I would like, because I was healthy enough. That's all, no?

I stopped at the end of last year season because I couldn't keep playing, because I had problem in the wrist. That's the real thing. It was not a decision that I take. It was my body that take that decision, no?

Probably what helps is I practiced for one month and a half very, very well, very strong with a lot of hours and doing the stuff that I really wanted to do that not always I can work the way that I want to work because my body doesn't allow me.

Q. I saw you on court pointing one particular spot in the clay. Do you think the conditions of the courts here are okay? Because many players are complaining.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. The courts are not bad, but probably are not the best on the tour, you know. But the courts are not bad, no? It's good court.

But it's true that courts in Monte-Carlo are unbelievable. In Barcelona, too. And in Madrid, improved unbelievable the last -- I think after the blue clay. Is true, no? They rebuild.

Before the blue clay in Madrid, the court was not good. But after the blue clay, they rebuild all the courts and the courts improved unbelievable, no?

I don't know. I don't know what's happening here during the whole year, but is easier to maintain a court and perfect conditions if still a club all the time, no? But in my opinion, the courts are not bad, the courts are good, are not perfect.

Q. You said that Andy Murray will be good at the French Open. Who do you think are your main rivals this year at Paris?
RAFAEL NADAL: I hope to have seven, but I don't think much about it, no? I think try to do my way, try to arrive competitive to the French, healthy, and then we will see, no?

Is not the moment to speak about the rivals on the French. Tomorrow I play against Sock or Vesely, and that's my thoughts now. No, not farther than that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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