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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9, 2018

Rafael Nadal

Wimbledon, London, England

R. NADAL/J. Vesely

6-3, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What is your level of satisfaction to be back in the quarterfinals here for the first time in seven years?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, of course is an important result for me, no? Yes, that's all. Of course, is important for me to be in these quarterfinals. Is true has been a while since I have been in that position.

At the same time I have been in that position a couple of times in my career, no? We are not talking about already that I played a final or I won the tournament. We are talking about I am in quarterfinals. That, of course, is a positive result.

But when I come here, I come here thinking that I can do a good result, no? If not, probably I will not be here. When I arrive here, my goal is to do the things the right way, to try to give me chances to compete well. Sometimes the things works better, sometimes worst.

My feeling last year I was not in this round, but I was playing enough well to be where I am this year. So happy for that.

Q. You played some decent tennis at Wimbledon in recent years. You've come up opponents who were really zoning. Do you think in reaching the quarterfinals you've come through a bit of a danger zone?
RAFAEL NADAL: If I? Sorry?

Q. If you've avoided the trouble that's come for you at this tournament in the past few years with opponents playing really good matches early on.
RAFAEL NADAL: Is always the same. If I am playing worst, the opponents play better. When I am play better, the opponents normally plays worst. We can't think about the opponents played unbelievable well against me. Will not be fair if I think that. I don't like to be unfair with myself. I try to be honest with myself.

Is true that the opponents probably played some good matches, but what happened is that I was not playing the right way. We can find reasons, knees, everything, true. Was more about I was not able to compete at the best level than the opponents that played very well.

Of course, they played well, and they deserved the victory. If I am playing well, then the opponents have less chance to play that well and beat me.

Q. It's been really hot since the beginning of the tournament. Do you think it changes the conditions here on grass or not?
RAFAEL NADAL: Changes everywhere, not only on grass. Changes on every surface.

Q. A few players have said the courts are playing firmer, bouncing higher, which might favor different players, including you, since you like higher-bouncing balls. Do you think the conditions on grass this year have been better for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is better if I play well. If I play bad, doesn't matter if it's warm or cold or rain or sun. That's the thing, no?

Personally, I see the players that they are favored to be in the final rounds here are still here. I see Novak here. I see del Potro here. I see Roger, Raonic, Isner, good servers. I don't see lot of players from clay in that quarterfinals.

We can talk about these kind of things for a while. At the end of the day is about numbers. Numbers says another thing.

Q. What are some of the factors that are helping you play better this year than maybe other years where you have fallen earlier at Wimbledon? What is clicking for you this time around that's helping you produce your level?
RAFAEL NADAL: I can come here and answer a question, but to be fair and honest, we have to think about the things that happened. 2012, 2013, I was not able to compete. Even if I played, I was not able to compete with the knees the way I had.

2014, I played a good tournament. I lost in fourth round against a player I can lose, like Kyrgios that I had set points to be two sets to one up.

2015 was a very bad year for me not on grass, in most of the surfaces. It's normal that I lost here, too.

In 2016 I didn't play because of my wrist.

2017 I played well.

2018 I am playing well.

Is true that I have not been in that quarterfinals or in farther rounds, but I played good tennis here. I lost a couple of matches that I could win. Sometimes few points changes the final result. Is true that couple of times did that few points have not been in my side. In the past, have been in my side, so...

Is true that for me the feeling that there is two or three years that I really played bad. Was '12, '13 and '15. The rest I have been there competitive. And sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

Q. Tomorrow you have a free day. What do you do to relax in Wimbledon? Do you have anything special you do to try to relax?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I practice for one hour. I do some treatment with my physio. I going to watch the football. I think tomorrow is football game. I going to watch the football. Then probably going to be relaxing a little bit at home. Maybe cooking a little bit the lunchtime. Then watching football, maybe one movie or something like this. That's it. Easy.

The days goes quick. Maybe some Parcheesi. You know the game (smiling)?

Q. You're so composed in between points, during changeovers. What is your approach to changeovers specifically in terms of obtaining your goal physically or mentally? What are you doing during changeovers to stay focused?
RAFAEL NADAL: Putting the bottles the right side (smiling).

No, being honest, just try to be focused on what I am doing. Just try to think the things or analyze the things that are going well, the things that I can improve, the things that I can't repeat that I did bad during the last couple of games, the things that I have to continue doing if I am playing well, no?

For example, in one moment today I felt that I was playing well, but in one moment I felt that I start to not being that much aggressive and I give him the chance to go more inside the court. I say to myself, I need to go again for the shots.

That's what I am thinking on the changeover. Just analyzing what's going on.

Q. On the topic of cooking, you share a lot of videos of you going to the supermarkets and things, saying you like to choose fish. Have you got a favorite thing about British supermarkets?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, there is a lot of good things. Lot of good things, yeah. I can't say one in particular.

Q. There's lots of excitement with fans the closer it's getting towards yourself playing against Roger Federer in the final. Last time you said maybe rather someone else. Do you think you're the only person that's not so excited about playing Federer or does it excite you as well?
RAFAEL NADAL: If I'm the only person that's not excited?

Q. Would you rather not play Federer?
RAFAEL NADAL: If he's in the final, I am excited to play Roger. I am not saying I am not excited to play against Roger in the final. I am excited. It will be a good result for me. Facing Roger again will be something fantastic.

If you ask me if I prefer another one, I say yes. That's the point. It's about being smart, no?

The overall goal is try to win the tournament. Depends against who you play you have less or more chances to win. That's the thing.

I can be here, I can't come here and say, No, of course I want to play against the best players. I am not this kind of...

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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