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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2020

Rafael Nadal

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

R. NADAL/N. Kyrgios

6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Nick was on his best behavior today. As a consequence, made it a very entertaining match. Do you think when Nick concentrates, he can be a force in this game if he cuts out the antics?
RAFAEL NADAL: I answered you this question two days ago. I don't change my mind.

When he wants to play tennis, when he's focused on what he's doing, I think he's a very important player for our sport because he has a big talent. Yeah, he's one of these players that can be very, very interesting for the crowd.

I am never against his way or style to play. When I criticize him in the past is because I think he did a couple of things that are not right and are not the right image for our sport and for the kids. But when he's doing the right things, I am the first one who support this.

Personally I saw him playing during the whole tournament almost every match, and he has been great, with very positive attitude. Personally, I like to watch him play when he's doing that way. I think everybody likes to watch Nick plays when he's able to play like this.

His talent is to be one of the best of the world, without a doubt, with good chances to fight for every tournament.

Q. You've played him quite a few times now. Did he do anything different today, anything that you didn't expect?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I try to do my game. Of course, there is a couple of things that you always try to make that happen.

I think I have been playing well. Is always the same thing: when we have been playing rallies, I feel more or less on control of the point, no? I think I played well from the baseline, changing directions, changing rhythms, playing aggressive with my forehand and backhand.

The problem is when he's serving, you don't have many chances. He has a big serve, so you are under pressure the whole match. That's the story about playing against the big servers, especially Nick, that is a big server. Is a very good player from the baseline, too. So you're under pressure during the whole match.

But honestly, has been a very positive match for me. Happy about the victory. Has been a great victory against a great opponent, and I'm through to the quarterfinals. That's a good start.

Q. What are some of the things you felt you needed to do tactically in this match?
RAFAEL NADAL: What I had to do is play my best tennis. When I go on court, you can try to think about a couple of things, but at the end what really matters is to play well. I know if I am playing my tennis and I am able to do it well, probably I going to have my chances. If not, will be much more difficult.

Of course, there is a couple of things, my position on the return have been farther than usual, a lot of meter behind the baseline. We tried to put more balls in.

Anyway, as I said before, you can analyze the match in terms of I know today the forehand down the line have been an important shot for me. I knew before the match start, something we spoke, that is important to hit the forehand down the line but with the right determination. I think I did.

Then, as I said before, the problem is always creating opportunities. Have been a key moment in the first game of the second set, I think, with two breakpoints, important ones, with the match more or less under control.

If you have one set and break, then you are in a big advantage against him because I felt that I was serving well, I was winning my games when I was serving very comfortable.

But then I played a very bad game with the 2-1 with my serve. 3-1 for him. Then you know you are in trouble. That's it.

Q. Next round you play Dominic. What do you expect from that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Very tough match. He's playing well. I saw him play today against Gael. He was playing a very high level the tennis.

We know each other well. He's a player that I like him a lot, the way that he work, the way that he plays, and the way that he tries his best always.

Is a match that going to be a tough one, but will be interesting, no? I am excited to play this quarterfinals against Dominic. I know I have to be at my best to have chances. I think I am moving in the right direction. Every day I'm playing a little bit better.

Q. The score is exactly the same of Wimbledon. You won four tiebreakers, the last four you played against him. Do you think it's a pure coincidence or is there some explanation for that since you always say you're under pressure when he's serving?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, and I lost in Acapulco. I lost the tiebreak in the final set of Acapulco. I won four, I lost one in the second round of Acapulco. That's just dynamics.

Today anything could happen in the tiebreaks. Have been very close tiebreaks both. I don't have the capacity to analyze why or why not is happening this or the other thing.

Q. On courtside you said at 5-4 you played a scary game in the fourth set. Was that down to you or the pressure he was putting you under?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played a bad game, that's true. I was playing great with my serve, winning all the games with very positive feelings. In the 5-4, as everybody, I get a little bit more nerves, nervous at that moment.

First point have been important. He hit a backhand that probably he was not touching the ball perfect, so he put me in an uncomfortable position because his ball was very short, so I was outside of the court.

Even like this, I think I hit a good forehand down the line, but it was just little bit long, like this. Then you are Love-15. I won that point, good point. Yeah, 15-30, double-fault.

That's the story. I played bad game. I was more nervous at that moment and I accept, no? I am enough humble to accept that sometimes I am nervous and I can have mistakes. That's what happened in the 5-4.

I keep going, because in the next game I have 15-40 again. Was not able to achieve the break. Then I think I played a bad game with the 5-4 with my serve. But I said after 6-5, need to forget, we still very close to the victory. I need to play with the right determination until the end of this set.

I can lose, I can win, but I cannot play with more nerves than what I should. I did it already once, and I don't want to repeat that. I think I didn't. In the 6-5 I played a great game with my serve. In the tiebreak, I think I was serving well. Nothing to say.

I think I played a solid tiebreak.

Q. When we watch Nick play, we're often surprised by what he decides to do. Are you surprised by some of the choices he makes?
RAFAEL NADAL: What?

Q. We're surprised by the shots that Nick plays, the things he chooses to do. Are you ever surprised?
RAFAEL NADAL: The way he plays?

Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: Not today. Probably at the beginning of his career maybe yes, but not now. I am used to seeing him.

Honestly, as I said, today I think he played very serious, he played very focused, and he tried all the time his best.

When he was serving his way, this thing, when I criticize him in Acapulco after the match, people understood that was because he was serving sometimes like this. I never criticized that. Is part of the game. I criticized at that moment his attitude on the match, not that he was serving one way or another way. I think it's part of the game. If he wants to serve like this, honestly, better for me. That's all.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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