After his solid opener at the Mutua Madrid Open, Rafael Nadal analysed his victory over Andrey Kuznetsov in a press conference. “The conditions were perfect for playing. With the heat and altitude the ball is more lively”, the Mallorcan explained to the media.

Nadal recorded 22 winners while only committing 9 unforced errors. The Balearic Islander also had a very high percentage of first serves in (80%) and won 85% of the points played. He did not face a single break point in the whole match, while also winning 100% of the points played on his second serve, which he was very happy with.

“I served well in both Monte Carlo and Barcelona but my serve was a little more effective today. It is critical here and I was very solid, I got a lot of points on my serve and it went very well in training too. I’m happy about that because it is vital if I am to have a chance in the tournament”, he noted.

Regarding his potential opponents, the winner of 14 Grand Slams praised both Sam Querrey and Lucas Pouille. “Pouille is coming off the back of a final in Bucharest where he played great tennis and Querrey does well on this kind of surface with his big serve. I don’t think of my draw being open because the players that are there deserve to be there”, stated the Mallorcan.

When asked about the affection for him in the Caja Mágica, Nadal did not hesitate: “Clearly when I play in Spain I get maximum support. It helps you play better and have more positive energy. The fans in Madrid are of the kind that help you win matches and I can say that I have won more than one match here thanks to the support of the crowd”.