Every word from Rafael Nadal’s press conference after his Barcelona Open farewell

Ewan West 17 Apr 2024 7:52 PM

Rafael Nadal press conference Barcelona Open 2024

Rafael Nadal speaks in his press conference after losing to Alex de Minaur in Barcelona

Rafael Nadal shared a number of interesting insights after his straight-set defeat to Alex de Minaur ended his comeback at the 2024 Barcelona Open.

The tennis legend was beaten 7-5, 6-1 by the world No 11 in the second round in Barcelona in what was almost certainly his final match at the event he has won 12 times. The 22-time Grand Slam winner received a standing ovation as he left the Pista Rafael Nadal court.

Nadal is potentially in the final months of his glittering career, with his future beyond this year’s clay-court season uncertain.

The 37-year-old Spaniard has outlined his plan to play the upcoming Masters 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome ahead of the 2024 French Open.

READ MORE: Reality bites for Rafael Nadal as he is handed a heavy defeat on the Barcelona clay

Demon’s Day! @alexdeminaur defeats 12-time Barcelona champion Nadal 7-5 6-1 @bcnopenbs #BCNOpenBS pic.twitter.com/lMzwpSDYLj

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 17, 2024

Here is everything Nadal said in his post-match press conference at the Torneo Conde de Godó in Barcelona:

“After losing the first set, the match is over”

NADAL: I have played this tournament as if it were my last Godó, although you never know what the future holds for you. Life is showing you the path and, in my case, life is showing the path for me in a quite clear way. My feelings on the court have been good, according to how I came, at times I have played at a fairly correct level. The main thing, unfortunately, right now is not to win, but to get out of the tournament healthy. This has been achieved. Sometimes it is difficult to play when you know that you are not going to be able to fight the entire game, but this is today, maybe in a few weeks. Today, after everything I have been through in recent months, is not the time to look for heroics. You have to be realistic, do things in the most prudent and logical way. The reality is that after losing the first set, the match is over.

“I simply want to fight in tournaments, being on the court is great news”

NADAL: The important thing was to be able to play and I have played. I simply want to fight in tournaments, being on the court is great news. On a personal level it has been difficult for me to be here again, but I have achieved it this week. We were all aware of what there was, the main thing was to play here prioritising health, without taking any risks. Although this goes a little against my philosophy and my way of understanding the sport, this is how I have been doing it all my life, going to the limit at every opportunity, right now it is time to take another direction. I have to adjust to the rhythm that is appropriate to try to give myself the opportunity to continue progressing in these coming weeks. I hope to be in Madrid within a week, this is what is important right now.

“I haven’t been able to serve at all in the last three months”

NADAL: I am very clear about what I can and cannot do, sometimes I had to slow down a little, among other adjustments. I haven’t been able to serve at all in the last three months either, so it’s difficult to serve normally for a couple of hours, this hasn’t happened since Brisbane. Before arriving here I have only played some training sets and the Las Vegas match, I have not played anything else. I can’t afford to play a two-three hour game at a competitive level right now. Today I had some opportunities, some moments that could have gone in my favour, but I made mistakes with my forehand. I have failed them because I have competed very little, but I accept what I have and where I come from, I try to be positive at all times.

“The only sad thing is not to play this tournament again at a professional level”

NADAL: I am an emotionally stable person, I take everything philosophically, analysing things correctly. The normal thing is that it was my last game at Godó, you all know how important this tournament has been for my career, this has been the tournament par excellence that we have had in Spain for a long time. The best players in history have passed through here and I have always respected that history. On top of that, it is played in a tennis club, which is why this tournament is different from the vast majority. I have really enjoyed playing here, I have lived very nice moments, I have managed to win 12 times, something unimaginable for me. I can only thank all the people of this club for the treatment received. I will continue my path, this is tennis, generations pass as is logical, others will come, but there is no player more important than tournaments. I have been lucky enough to write a beautiful story in this tournament, a story that had not been written before, but others will come to try to surpass it. I was always aware that everything has a beginning and an end, there is no drama. The only sad thing is not to play this tournament again at a professional level, I would have loved to fight for this tournament one more time.

“In Madrid go a little better, in Rome a little more… and in Paris let it be whatever God wants”

NADAL: I am leaving convinced that I have taken a step forward, it was not today where I had to be well, where I had to leave everything and die. I have to give myself the option to do this in a few weeks, at least try. If I had died at a general level today, I would never have the opportunity to do so in a few weeks, so I have to play according to the objective I have. I have to measure according to how I feel, so I will play in Madrid according to this factor. If my body responds and I accumulate good training, I will be able to take a step forward in Madrid. If my body is capable of assimilating the loads progressively, that must help me to demand more and more from it, but I don’t know. On a logical level, the idea is to progress, but I’m not talking about winning games, but rather at the level of fighting for things. In Madrid go a little better, in Rome a little more… and in Paris let it be whatever God wants. Now is the time to try.