Rafael Nadal: ‘I think that two matches are going to…’

The count is two defeats for Rafael Nadal in this new season. The world number two closes the United Cup, the new team competition, with two defeats: first against Cameron Norrie and then against Alex De Miñaur. The Spaniard arrived in Australia after some difficult months, especially from a physical point of view. Asked about his condition, the answer from the number two in the world was clear. “No, physically I am not injured,” he said at the press conference. “As I said, I need to be a little faster, a little more dynamic on the court, to read the game better. That gives you confidence, the hours on the court, playing matches. As for the physical problems, I can’t complain, I am happy. This helps a lot to move forward. This is the situation, I have to improve. I hope it happens soon, because I don’t feel so far away.” With the defeat against Alex De Miñaur, Rafael Nadal says goodbye to the United Cup: he will no longer play in the competition, as Spain has lost any chance of winning the group and moving on to the next phase. Taking into account that he will not play any other tournament before the Australian Open, the goal is to get to Melbourne quickly, to train for the first Slam of the season. “I do not know. I think I’ll go fast in Melbourne. We still play tomorrow. Of course, I don’t want to play, but I can’t leave, so I’ll probably leave on Wednesday. I do not know. I’ll visit the city a bit on Wednesday morning and then leave in the afternoon. Maybe. I’m still not sure about the calendar,” the Spanish number two declared at a press conference. In Melbourne, where the 22-time Slam champion will have to defend the title he won last year against Daniil Medvedev in the final, he will be the head of series number two behind his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz.

Nadal was very candid

With two weeks left until the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal was candid enough to admit that the situation was not ideal, but reckoned that it wasn’t negative either. “I have two weeks before the Australian Open starts. I can’t say that the situation is ideal, but at the same time, I can’t say that it’s very negative, because for moments I was playing good. I think that two matches are going to help me. I need to win couple of matches. But the level was not that bad. Putting in perspective that I arrived needing a little bit more time,” he stated during the same press conference.