Mark Nixon · @markalannixon
23rd Nov 2015 from TwitLonger
"Djokovic played incredibly." Toni Nadal Interviewed in l'Équipe by Vincent Cognet after Saturday's match against Djokovic.
How do you explain the clear loss?
"Djokovic played incredibly. He served well and returned perfectly. Rafa's shots didn't have the same quality as against Murray and Ferrer. His forehand didn't hurt. Nothing to fault about the result."
Rafa didn't play his game ...
"We began with the idea that he had to be very aggressive. [He smiles] But it's not easy, hunh? Djokovic's shot arrives very quickly and very low. The surface and playing conditions suit his game perfectly. The height of the bounce is ideal for him. When it's ping-pong, it's too difficult for Rafa. What's more, Novak started very strongly. There was great precision in his shots."
Are you astonished by the ability of Djokovic to regain his best level in less than forty-eight hours?
"Yes. I watched his matches against Roger (Federer) and Berdych. He didn't play very well. When Roger hit with a lot of lift, he was making errors. But today (Saturday), his level was very high. Each shot was hit perfectly."
It seems he can switch from average to excellent at the snap of his fingers ...
"It's not just a question of confidence. Novak went on court with a very clear idea of how he was going to play Rafa., Then, when he starts strongly, he's tough to stop.
How will you organise things between seasons?
"Rafa will take a week to ten days of rest. The we'll start training again. When the head decides, then there's no reason to be tired! Which means to say that it's a question of preparing mentally for doses of work. After, back to competition in Doha."