Q. Is it different for you this year in the feeling because you’re going maybe for a seventh title, or are you not caring about this?
RAFAEL NADAL: Last year probably answer is different, because if I won I will equal Borg. Any year we can find a different excuse to be different.
But at the end, what is different is another year, another Roland Garros. This tournament is enough important for himself, not because now I have six. I have much more than I ever dreamed.
I am coming here with motivation of every year with the illusion to play well, and then we will see, no? But I don’t going to be more motivated because I have six and I can win seven. No.
And I was not more motivated when I arrived here in 2005 than today. I was not more motivated in 2010 when I lose in 2009. The motivation always is the same. Sometimes you lose; sometimes you win.
That’s the sport and that’s the game.
Q. You came very close to winning four Grand Slam titles in a row. Now Novak…
RAFAEL NADAL: Not very close. Three matches away. Yeah, I didn’t lose in the final in the last one. That’s what I mean, no, sure, when you win three in a row, probably my chance not gonna be any more there.
Q. I’m wondering, with Novak now having won three, it’s been a long time since anyone has won four in a row. What is the most difficult part of trying to do that? How big a deal would it be? How important in tennis and maybe all of sports if somebody were able to do that again?
RAFAEL NADAL: The most difficult part is win every one. That’s the first thing. When you talk about winning all four, when he won in Wimbledon last year, then he won in US Open, then he won in Australia, so every tournament is difficult for himself.
This one gonna be another one. This one is not gonna be more difficult because he already won three. You know, that’s the point that I want to tell. When I went to Australia in 2011 was last year? Yes, 2011 with the chance to win four in a row? I felt zero extra pressure to win that.
Because when you start the tournament, when you play, you play day by day. That’s what I am, doing. I play day by day, and I win thinking about that tournament, not what happened in the past. More difficult thing is arrive to that situation. You are there, you can win, you can lose. I get injury; I lost. That’s it.
I’m not happier today or less happy today to win or to lose that match. The life continues, and you keep working hard to try to be fit and be competitive for the next one.
Q. Your results on the red clay are brilliant this year. How do you feel about your game itself?
RAFAEL NADAL: I did very well. I started 2012 season playing fantastic since the beginning in Australia. I think I did well in — I stop for one month. I did well Indian Wells. I didn’t went on court in the semifinals in Miami.
I started the clay court season, the red clay court season very well. I played fantastic tournament in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, and Rome. That’s it. I’m playing well.
Has a different history here, different tournament, and doesn’t mean I play very well the three clay court tournaments, that doesn’t mean that I gonna have a success here. Doesn’t mean — only mean that — the only thing that mean win all three is I have three more titles in my bedroom that they are very important for me. I love that three tournaments.
I arrive here with positive feelings, and I will try my best to be very competitive and to be in the right level to have my chances.
Q. When you come to Paris every year, is there something you look forward to? Is there something you like outside the tennis, the idea of being in Paris? Is there something you like outside the tennis?
RAFAEL NADAL: I like the city. I love the city. There’s a few cities that I love in the world, and this is one of them.
I feel comfortable here. Don’t forget that I spend a lot of time here in the city and I feel comfortable. I like. I don’t have time to come for holidays during the season, but I did in the past with my family. I came here with my family for holidays like 10 years ago, and since that moment I always loved this place.
