Rafael Nadal après sa défaite au 1er tour de ce Roland-Garros 2024, ce lundi 27 mai ! Rafael Nadal a très certainement livré ce lundi sa toute dernière bataille à Roland-Garros ce lundi. Opposé à Alexander Zverev, le Taureau de Manacor s'est battu comme un diable mais n'a pas pu éviter la défaite d'entrée, en trois manches, 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3. Inférieur dans le premier set, le Majorquin a ensuite offert une belle réplique à l'Allemand mais sans jamais pouvoir prendre totalement l'ascendant. Le public lui a rendu un bel hommage avec une belle standing ovation après la balle de match. Après la rencontre, sur le court, le roi des lieux n'a pas confirmé à 100% qu'il s'agissait de son dernier Roland-Garros. En conférence de presse, Nadal est resté encore prudent mais s'est montré satisfait de son niveau et de son état physique. Surtout, il semble déjà focalisé sur les Jeux Olympiques de Paris et pourrait bien zapper Wimbledon. Peut-être l'occasion de finir en beauté son histoire avec Roland-Garros en août prochain.
Category
🥇
SportTranscription
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:27 Hi, Rafa.
00:28 Rafa.
00:28 Hello.
00:29 Congratulations on everything you've done.
00:32 I understand.
00:33 OK.
00:34 How did you feel about your performance today,
00:41 what you were feeling out there today?
00:43 And also, does the way you played
00:47 make the things you're going to think
00:50 about over the next two months more complicated?
00:55 No, I mean, not bad feelings.
01:00 I think I showed that myself, first of all,
01:06 that I was ready for more than what I did at the end, that
01:14 is losing in the first round.
01:18 That's how it is.
01:19 When you are not seeded, you play
01:22 against a player who is in great shape
01:25 and is one of the best players of the world.
01:27 As I said before, it has been a positive week for me
01:35 of practice in all ways, in terms of physical performance
01:41 too.
01:42 Without a doubt, I felt much better than before.
01:47 I didn't feel that limitation.
01:49 And today in the match, the same.
01:51 I felt that I was able to move myself much better
01:55 than in the previous tournaments.
01:59 But I had a very tough opponent in front.
02:02 And he played well, I think.
02:03 So even like this, I had my chances,
02:09 with serving for the set in the second,
02:12 then against another 15-40.
02:17 In the third again, break up, and then another 15-40,
02:22 and 5-3 in the second to 15-30.
02:27 I mean, I was not that far.
02:30 That's my feeling.
02:31 That's probably my truth.
02:34 And at the end, I was ready to build
02:44 my game and my confidence day by day.
02:49 But I never had that days of competition,
02:53 because I faced a very tough opponent in front.
02:55 And probably today I needed him not playing a great match.
03:01 And I played, I think, at a good level in all ways,
03:09 comparing to the way that I was playing the weeks before.
03:13 So happy for that.
03:15 Of course, disappointed for losing.
03:19 But in terms of body feelings, happy that I finished healthy.
03:27 And I had a tough battle out there.
03:29 And I was ready for a little bit more.
03:31 So that's it.
03:34 Accept the moment.
03:35 And if it's the last time that I played here,
03:39 I am in peace with myself.
03:40 I tried everything to be ready for this tournament
03:46 for almost 20 years.
03:49 And today and the last two years,
03:53 I have been working and going through probably the toughest
03:57 process in my tennis career with the dream to come back here.
04:00 And at least I did.
04:02 I mean, I lost.
04:03 That's part of the business.
04:10 Rafa, congratulations on such a remarkable career.
04:14 I'm curious what your mindset was,
04:16 what your emotions were heading into this particular match,
04:20 if any different than any first round match.
04:24 And also, how difficult is it for you,
04:28 with all that you've accomplished, Rafa,
04:30 to walk away from a sport that has
04:32 been such a part of your life for all of your life?
04:37 Well, I'm not running to no one place for the moment.
04:43 I don't know what's going to happen in the next few months.
04:47 I need to finish all this process.
04:50 My mindset was ready till Olympics.
04:55 And then I need to check how I feel in different ways.
05:06 I mean, in terms of personal motivation, body feelings,
05:12 and then in terms of level of tennis,
05:15 if it makes sense to keep playing.
05:17 So I went on court with the strange feeling
05:26 that I'm going to be playing first round in Roland-Garros.
05:29 I will not be favorite.
05:31 That's true.
05:32 But I went on court with the idea of fight for the match,
05:37 to put the level, the energy there,
05:41 and just hope that the opponent don't play at his best,
05:49 because always first rounds are tough.
05:52 And for me, it was difficult to show a much better level
05:56 than today, in this particular moment, in this first round.
06:00 Because I played for moments at, I think, a very good level.
06:04 But in another moments, I missed.
06:09 But that's something that is 100% normal.
06:14 When you are not playing tournaments in a row,
06:17 when you are not playing these kind of matches since almost
06:20 two years, it's normal that your level is not like this.
06:25 Because at the end, you need to practice this.
06:29 And the only way to practice this is competing.
06:32 And to hold your level at this amount of energy,
06:38 this amount of concentration, you need to be playing often.
06:44 And this time, comparing to the other times
06:46 that I was coming back from injuries,
06:50 I came back from the lowest position possible,
06:55 in terms of everything--
06:57 physical performance, confidence, pain.
07:01 I think most of the times when I was coming back from injuries,
07:05 I was able to be healthy since the beginning.
07:08 That was not the case.
07:09 So I felt my body healthy, as I said,
07:12 before the tournament that week.
07:15 That was the first week that I started feeling that I can move
07:18 without limitations.
07:20 That's why I was able to build a better level,
07:22 to practice well against every player.
07:25 But as I said, the normal thinking
07:27 was not enough one week to be ready to win
07:31 these kind of matches.
07:32 But it's always true that this court has been magical for me.
07:36 Rafa, I'm not sure if you know, but Novak, Carlos, and Igor
07:41 were all watching you in the stands.
07:43 I don't know where you are.
07:46 OK, thank you.
07:48 Yeah, Novak, Carlos, and Igor were all watching you
07:51 in the stands.
07:52 What does it mean to have great rivals and top players come
07:54 to see you play?
07:57 I mean, I didn't see them.
07:59 But I think in some way it's normal.
08:03 I think if that's the last time that I'm going to be playing
08:08 here, and if I know that Novak is the last time playing
08:12 in Wimbledon or in Australia, and I was there,
08:15 or these kind of rivals or young players that are here,
08:20 like Carlos, that probably they watch me on TV most of his years
08:29 that they are living, it's normal that in some way
08:32 they are interested to see how this is going to be,
08:35 and especially in this particular place with all
08:38 the history that I had behind.
08:40 But yeah, I mean, happy that that happens,
08:48 because that means that I had a positive legacy here,
08:53 and a positive legacy in my career.
08:56 Hunt, and that's it.
08:58 Rafa, I feel privileged to have followed you
09:04 for more than 20 years.
09:06 It's a bit of a sad day.
09:07 I would like to know if you would
09:10 feel to be able to play well even tomorrow.
09:14 Let's think about the Olympic Games.
09:16 You have to play three hours, and then the next day
09:18 maybe another three hours.
09:21 Do you feel you're ready already now,
09:24 or probably in one month and a half you think you will be?
09:28 I cannot tell you if I will be or not
09:31 will be in one month and a half, because my body
09:36 has been a jungle for two years, and you
09:41 don't know what to expect.
09:43 I wake up one day and I found a snake beating me.
09:46 Another day, a tiger.
09:48 It's been a big fighting with all the things
09:53 that I went through.
09:54 But the dynamic is positive the last few weeks.
10:00 So I felt ready.
10:02 I mean, I felt ready.
10:03 I was able to-- I think tomorrow I
10:06 will be ready to play again if I have to.
10:09 But I will not have to.
10:12 So that's the thing.
10:16 And now I-- yeah.
10:20 Probably my next-- I need to prepare myself for-- I
10:27 need to clear my ideas now and see what's
10:31 the new calendar for me to try to be ready for Olympics.
10:34 I can't say anything today, but my main goal now
10:39 is to play Olympics.
10:40 That's going to be here.
10:41 So I need to prepare myself the proper way
10:44 to try to arrive here healthy and well prepared,
10:48 and then let's see.
10:48 Rafa, sorry.
10:54 You have been an inspiration to millions of people.
10:58 Your career is much more than just about tennis.
11:01 So what was the driving force behind your career,
11:05 despite all the injuries, the tough losses like today?
11:09 I mean, you're even saying that you're still
11:12 going for the Olympics and whatever.
11:16 Why?
11:17 What is the driving force behind that fighting spirit?
11:20 Well, I don't-- I am a simple guy in all ways.
11:29 And what-- for me, as I said, always, for me,
11:35 the feeling of coming back home with the personal satisfaction
11:42 to do all what's in my hands to make the things work well,
11:49 giving myself everything, that's the only way
11:55 that I understand my life.
11:58 And that's why I am not saying I am retiring today.
12:05 At the end, it's about not having the feeling in one year
12:13 or one year and a half that I didn't give myself a chance,
12:20 a real chance, because immediately that I started
12:24 to become a little bit more healthier,
12:26 I stop.
12:28 So in terms of what's driving me,
12:31 what's the force behind driving me, I mean, as I said,
12:35 I'm a simple guy.
12:36 I enjoy what I do.
12:37 I am passionate about sport.
12:39 I am passionate about competition.
12:42 I like to practice.
12:44 I like to play tennis.
12:46 I'm in a different moment of my personal life, too,
12:50 traveling with my son, wife.
12:54 I am enjoying these moments that will not come back.
13:00 So if I keep enjoying doing what I am doing
13:03 and I feel myself competitive and healthy enough to enjoy,
13:11 I want to keep going for a while.
13:13 I don't know for how long, but I want
13:15 to keep going for a while because they are having fun.
13:17 I am having fun.
13:18 And I need to see.
13:22 I need to give myself a little bit longer chances
13:25 to see if my level is growing and my body is holding.
13:30 And then let's make a decision.
13:32 But give me two months till the Olympics,
13:36 and then let's see if I am able to keep going.
13:38 Or I say, OK, guys, it's more than enough.
13:44 Let's see.
13:45 I mean, today is not the moment to analyze
13:48 all these kind of things.
13:49 It's the moment just to keep going, accept the moment,
13:56 and let's see what's going on.
13:59 Two more.
13:59 [INAUDIBLE]
14:00 Hi, Rafa.
14:07 You've never discussed your injuries
14:09 or how much you've had to fight to get fit.
14:12 But can you, for this time, give us
14:15 an understanding of what it was for you to come back and be
14:19 here--
14:20 I mean, a little bit about your journey
14:22 to be here to play Roland-Garros this year?
14:24 I mean, a lot of things going through.
14:34 First, the big surgery, then problems in Brisbane
14:40 that I had to deal again in similar spot of 2023
14:47 Australia, small, then I recovered more or less fast,
14:51 then abdominal, then again problems on the hip.
14:55 I mean, it had been a tough, tough process in all ways.
15:02 And arrived a moment that I was mentally destroyed,
15:10 in terms of energy, in terms of personal happiness.
15:14 That's why I said, OK, I need to stop this.
15:19 And I felt that I will--
15:23 had been a big chance that I will never
15:25 be back on the tennis court a few weeks before Barcelona.
15:29 But then, you know, started to feel a little bit better.
15:32 And at least I was able to play four tournaments.
15:36 You know, that means a lot to me.
15:38 And let's see.
15:41 I mean, it doesn't matter.
15:43 I mean, I don't need to talk about how tough was everything.
15:52 Because if we put in balance all the things that
15:54 happened in my tennis career, in my life,
15:57 the positive moments are incredibly much heavier.
16:01 You know, I enjoyed everything.
16:04 Because of tennis, I lived experiences
16:06 that I never could imagine without practicing this,
16:09 playing this beautiful sport.
16:12 And I had much more success than what
16:16 I ever could dream about it.
16:18 So I had injuries, yes.
16:20 I had tough, low moments, yes.
16:23 But on the other hand, I enjoyed incredible, emotional,
16:28 and positive moments that I am so grateful.
16:31 And I feel very lucky for all of that.
16:34 Last question.
16:35 Rafa, just over here.
16:36 Can I just clarify your plans for the next few weeks?
16:39 Is it your intention at the moment to play grass court
16:42 tennis?
16:42 Are you definitely going to play Wimbledon,
16:44 or have you decided yet?
16:47 No, looks difficult, honestly.
16:50 For me now, I can't confirm what's going on.
16:55 But for me now, it looks difficult to make
16:59 a transition to grass, having the Olympics again on clay.
17:04 So I cannot confirm anything.
17:08 I need to talk with the team.
17:10 I need to analyze so many facts.
17:13 But I don't think it's going to be as smart after all the things
17:21 that happened to my body.
17:22 And I'll make a big transition to a completely different
17:25 surface, and then come back immediately to clay.
17:32 Today, I feel that's not a good idea.
17:36 But I can't confirm.
17:37 But my feelings is, even if I am booked in Wimbledon,
17:41 because I had to, I don't think it's a positive idea right now.
17:48 [MUSIC PLAYING]