Rafael Nadal def. Carlos Moya, 7-5, 6-4
May 14, 2024
[This is a translation of Rafael's interview, done from watching the video of his post-match interview. It was translated from Spanish to English by joes and Chen, and is not intended to be entirely accurate. But it gives you an idea of what he said. Some of the questions and answers were difficult to understand.]
*Rafael enters from the side & talks on a cell phone for a bit before sitting down @ the table. He says sorry to the reporters, for keeping them waiting, I guess.)
Moderator: Ok. Questions for Rafael? I'm going to be interpreting for him, he's going to speak in Spanish.
The Moderator translates questions in English to Spanish to ask Rafi, listens to his answer in Spanish and then translates Rafi's answer to English for the reporters.
Q: Is this a special victory for him, over Moya?
Nadal: It was special, I would've liked to win against a player of his level, but not against him.
Q: How much, how has Carlos given him...
Nadal: Carlos has given me the opportunity to train together with him, everytime that we're in Mallorca at the same time. And that has given me the opportunity to practice at a very very high level.
Q: What does he most hope to....
Nadal: Well first of all, .... a wild card this year in Buenos Aires the ATP event and maybe I was going to get it but in the end I decided not to go. As far as shots are concerned, I can't say anything in particular really. Like I said, the most important thing is that he gives me the opportunity to practice with him in Mallorca and that something very, very important.
Moderator: Any other questions in English, first? Then we'll do Spanish only.
Q: Was he nervous before the game?
Rafi: No, I didn't feel any pressure before the match because I'm the young one, I'm the lower ranked one. So I think all the pressure was on him.
Q: What are his aims for the tournament now?
Nadal: To try to play a good match tomorrow.
Q: He's the only Spanish player left in the draw now, what does he think about that and is that special, a special thing for him now.
Nadal: No, maybe it means the other Spanish players didn't play so well in this event and I won two rounds and I'm here so. Normally, in this kind of event on clay, they're usually in the semifinals or finals.
Q: There's usually one of the Spanish players in the semifinals, that might be him now.
Nadal: I don't think so.
Q: Are there any great players that he admired when he was young and that he would like to copy or emulate?
Nadal: Carlos Moya, it's always been Moya that I looked up to and I admire both Sampras and Agassi, but Carlos above anybody else.
Q: How's big is the media in quest of his person? Because you won against Albert Costa in Monte Carlo, is it ... or how does it feel for him?
Nadal: Well, I don't know, maybe during the Godo tournament in Barcelona, there were, I was doing a lot of interviews so it really felt that way. But apart from that, it doesn't really affect me.
Q:Was this the happiest day of your short career, the win over Carlos ...?
Nadal:(to the translator) Ah, what do I do? Answer him in Spanish or��?? Ah, well, no, not the happiest day of my life, yes, the most important victory but not the happiest day cause I felt bad, he was very nervous, he couldn�t play very well. There were moments when I couldn�t look across at the other side of the court, at him, because I sort of felt sorry for him. For him, being such a great player, losing to a 16 year old can�t be easy.
Q:����
Nadal:He is the number 4 in the world, I am 70 or something, I didn�t look at the rankings yet, but there is a 66 places difference. A big difference.
Q:����
Nadal:He is just another player that I try to beat. When I played Costa, or Mathieu, I jumped for joy when I won, and felt bad about that with Costa cause he�s such a good person. But it�s totally different with Carlos. Normally I say �Vamos!� a lot, and I celebrate points, but nothing of that with Carlos. Very unsusal for me! Normally I get very animated.
Q: Were you playing at the top of your game today?
Nadal: Yes I did! Of course! When I didn�t play at the top of my game with Carlos I never did! So yes, I played very well.
Q:�����.
Nadal: I was at 4-1 and didn�t take the possibilities, didn�t play so well, then it was 4-2, 4-3, then at 4-4, anything can happen. But I played well then, he missed a couple of balls, and that�s how it was.
Q: Any views on tomorrow�s match? You play��
Nadal: Gaudio. Well, obviously, he is one of the best 10�., 7�, 5 players of the world on clay, so it will be impossible, okay, almost impossible for me to win, but I will walk on the court and try to play as well as I can and if can I do that, if it�s going to be a good match, whether I win or lose, I will be content.
**Thanks for the translation, joes and Chen. Well done! Please do not copy or use on other sites without permission of VamosRafael.com.**
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