PHOTOS/VIDEO: 2019 Madrid Open Rafael Nadal vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime

2019 Madrid Open Rafael Nadal bt. Felix Auger-Aliassime  6-3 6-3

Next opponent - Frances Tiafoe

“It's a day to be very satisfied, very happy. I managed to win. I managed to win in two sets [against] an opponent, who was not easy, and the day was not the best. It was windy and cold,” Nadal said. “Of course there have been positive things. I think that my backhand has been really [going] well and other things. There are many things to improve, of course.”

“The important thing is to win, especially given what's happened in the last three days,” said Nadal, who had a stomach virus on Sunday.

“The first seven games I didn't have a lot of rhythm. Both him and I, we were struggling when returning the balls. We had a lot of first serves and returning was very difficult... I managed to do a break, and from there onwards, it's a turning point. I think I started to return a little bit better from thereon. And I did things better than him.”

“Frances is a very high-level opponent. He has a lot of speed. He's very aggressive. And he's an electric player. He serves very well. He moves very good on the clay,” Nadal said. “He comes in with a lot of confidence... He has that drive and energy, and it will be a good test for me and an opportunity for me to play a tough match and to keep improving.”

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• Hot shots

• Highlights

• On-court interview

Alex: "Rafa, congrats! It's a privilege to have you in Madrid. I think the first words are always addressed to the crowd. So, here you have them."

Rafa: "No, well... it's my privilege, really. Honestly, I've always said it. It's been many years playing here and even if I repeat the same every year I have to say it again. It's a very very special place for me. I always have to thank everybody for all the love. For me it's a place where I come and try to give my best, but also a place where I receive a lot of love & energy that give me the strength to go ahead [people, clapping, acknowledge these words]. And here we are one more year to try to do it as best as possible. Today I'm happy with the victory. It was clearly a difficult match. It's true I've been with a stomach virus for the last few days and although things have improved now, obviously the body's been a little bit weaker at the beginning and thus, today's match was very important. So, I'm very happy and thankful to everybody for the love & support."

Alex: "Thank you, Rafa. You haven't been able to practice much. You were playing a difficult opponent. In the 4-3*, no breaks of serve yet, 15-40*. What were you looking for there? he's made a few FH errors, you've seemed to have the belief on, while he's faded a bit"

Rafa:"Being realistic, conditions were difficult. First,it was my 1st match in MAD,which is always tough. Even if it's difficult to understand for people who aren't in this sport, all of us who are know that there's a great difference between playing here & doing it at sea level. So, the first match is always a difficult test & he had already played one match, and against a lefty. So, he was ready for the match. In my case, it's true that I was training very well in the previous days, but it's also true I haven't been able to train much the last few days. Fortunately, yesterday I was able to have a good practice and I'm truly happy to be on court and, all in all, as I mentioned before, today's it was a match to be focused & try to win, which has been achieved. Until that moment, it was very windy. It was tough for me to return. My shots were landing short & he had it very easy to have the initiative. I wasn't suffering w/my serve, either. Then, in that game I've been lucky w/a lob & he's also made a few more errors, so that I've been able to break & for me it was very important to be ahead in the score"

Alex:"As you can see, Rafa remembers everything...Rafa, I don't want to insist much but for these people to understand, can you tell us which are the main differences between playing in altitude & at sea level? how it affects the shots, the effects on the ball. Explain it,please"

Rafa:...[Alex interrupts him saying there's no need for him to spend 3 hours explaining it, so that he can go & rest. Rafa reassures him that won't be the case] First thing is the control. Here, when you feel the ball in the racket, you know the slightest error in the contact means you can fail the shot, while at sea level, the error margin is bigger. Here, you can hurt more with the serve & it's more difficult to return. Clay's a surface where you usually put a lot of balls in play, but here, for instance in today's 1st set, we've hardly had rallies, which is rarely to happen on a clay court at sea level. Having said all that, I like to play in altitude, but you need to have the right feelings & be adjusted to the conditions and that's the point I'm at now. Today I've won & tomorrow I have another chance." 

Alex: "Thanks so much for the explanation, Rafa"

Translated by Genny SS

• Post-match interview

• Press conference