Q. How would you evaluate the situation?
NICOLAS ALMAGRO: Well, my evaluation of this situation? Well, the situation is here in Paris, and what I can say after the match is that I feel good. I played a good match. My arms feel good. My legs, as well. I have two arms, two legs.
No, I'm kidding, of course. But frankly, no, it's terrible. Really, it is terrible.
Let's face it, as I said yesterday, I said I wanted to finish being proud of what I did, even though I might be defeated, which is what happened. I played the match I had to play. I had the right attitude throughout the match. I wanted to win; yet I couldn't.
But in any case, the most important thing is that the tournament will continue. I'm on the right tracks. I know I still have to practice the way I've always done.
Now, of course, it's a bit sad. I played against Rafa during these quarterfinals. Had I been playing against another opponent, who knows what might have happened? Only God knows. Q. The other day you said that with Verdasco you had played a match which, according to you, was almost perfect. If it were to continue along the same lines, you could have done better, but you played really well.
NICOLAS ALMAGRO: Well, I think you have to play even better than with Fer. The first set was okay. The second one, as well. But then I thought I could control, whereas here, it started well. It was 3 0.
Then it was a draw, and I lost the tiebreak. Then I was break into the second set; the same story happened during the second set but with no break.
During the third one I wanted to be more offensive, because so far it was good for me. Then I made mistakes, so much so, that these were the three bad points I played.
That's how I lost the match, I think. And to win against Nadal, to answer your question, is that I still have to practice, to continue to train and improve my game, and I hope that one day I can answer differently. Q. It was 3 0, two tiebreaks, and what happened?
NICOLAS ALMAGRO: Well, I missed my tiebreak. I didn't really play it well with my second serve. When you play with your second serve, you know, Rafa was very offensive, he could play really well, very important and turning points better than I did.
And then during the second tiebreak it was 5 1 on my forehand, and what else can you say? I was always trying to follow, and it's a strange feeling, you see, because I was controlling the match, I think. I had a breakpoint.
But then he served so well and then he volleyed. As you know, he took the pressure a lot easier than I did, because he's No. 2. He played the right points at the right moment. Q. There was a moment when he returned a ball that hit the net. How did you feel at that time?
NICOLAS ALMAGRO: I think you mean when we were 3 1 and before the break. We all know that Rafa returns all the points. He strikes strongly.
So this is when we were on a draw, and I thought I should still continue being offensive, I should take the initiative on these points. I didn't want to change my strategy all of a sudden. And I played good points, as well, but I made a few mistakes. Q. Now, you play at a very high level, and my question is: Why is Rafa invincible? Why couldn't you defeat him?
NICOLAS ALMAGRO: Well, I couldn't win because each time well, at any moment he was leading. And as I said, he won the two tiebreaks during the first set; there was a break during the third one, and I couldn't catch up. That's the reason.
What I have to do is to continue and play the way and play. I have to continue and work and practice. I have to think that I'm a winner against Rafa or Verdasco. I have to respect them because they are excellent sportsmen and they're friends as well, but I have to continue and practice and do what I prefer in life. That is playing tennis.
It was not my best of days, I know, but I think in any case it was an excellent match. Q. I was looking at you, and I saw that sometimes you were really furious, very angry. Did you think until the very last moment that the match could have changed totally?
NICOLAS ALMAGRO: Well, as I said yesterday, had I not believed in my tennis I would have taken the first plane yesterday with my suitcase, and I wouldn't have spent I would have spent a few hours. I would be with my fiancée, my mother, and my nieces. I would be enjoying a barbecue at home.
But I believe in my tennis. I believe in my game. He won. This is it. When he won the very last point, the only thing I had to do is congratulate him and continue on the same tracks. Q. What do you think about this tournament? What do you think about the match?
NICOLAS ALMAGRO: Well, all tournaments, all important matches for a great sportsman are important. It all started in Australia for me when I had problems with the scaphoid . Despite this injury, I realized that I could continue the competition with the best players.
I trusted myself more, and then I grew as a tennisman, day by day, day after day. And in Madrid even last year I realized I played well even though I couldn't meet the objectives I had set to myself.
Yet I reached the quarterfinals at a very high level, so I still continued to believe in myself. Thanks to this confidence, I played a very good tournament. Even though during the first day I had very bad results, I always thought that I could continue and play more and more matches.
This gave me even more confidence in myself. I think that my team will also gain more trust in me. They'll believe me. They'll agree with me when I say I'm on the right tracks. I'll continue and train and work consistently and coherently, because I'm certain that what I've done so far was good, because I've reaped the fruit of this.
One of these days I'll be able to reach the final at Roland Garros and win the Grand Slam tournament. Q. Could you try and analyze the match between Rafa and Melzer?
NICOLAS ALMAGRO: Well, I've not seen the end of their match, but Melzer has played a very tiring match, I think. But this is a Grand Slam. He'll have one day off. Nadal, as well. They'll be able to rest.
The two of them are lefties, but Melzer has an excellent serve. We all know that Nadal returns all the points. It's going to be very tight, very tough.
I think the one who's got the best physical condition and the best mental preparation will win the victory.
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