PHOTOS/VIDEO: 2017 US Open R2 Rafael Nadal vs. Taro Daniel

2017 US Open R2 Rafael Nadal bt. Taro Daniel  4/6 6/3 6/2 6/2

Next opponent - Leo Mayer

Rafa: "For me, it's a very important victory. It's true that I didn't play very well tonight. In the first set, I had a lot of opportunities.
I need to improve a lot of things. I really believe I can do it much better and I'm going to do it much better." 

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Rafa: "In the last 2 matches I've had more nerves than usual & I don't know why. I've not had the calm that I've had the whole season.  That's the truth and the truth must be faced and accepted, so that you work to overcome it without deceiving yourself. I lost 2 matches in CAN & Cincy & that can surely effect a little bit, but to counteract it I've had an almost perfect practice week in NY. It is a situation that is a bit strange and that I hope to overcome, and if I don't, I'll go home to go on working.  [But] If I overcome it, I'm sure I can give myself chances to have a good tournament here."

Toni: "Rafael has played a quite bad first set, w/o speed in his shots. He was unable to speed up the ball to hurt the opponent and in this way it's difficult to win matches. Later on, it's not that he's improved a lot, but in the end the difference in ranking is there & without playing well, he's been superior. The truth is that he's practicing very well, but he's unable to keep that speed in the matches."

Carlos: "He was very nervous at the beginning, as the other day, but he's managed to turn around a situation that had become very difficult.  At the end, Rafa's freed the arm and at the same time the rival's got tired. It's difficult to keep the level he was at for the whole year and we know that in the first rounds it's a question of surviving, but if he wants to go deep in the tournament, he'll have to play better."

Translated by Genny SS

Source: elespanol.com

Photos: USTA; Getty Images; AP; EFE;  AFP; REUTERS

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