Q. Looks like Novak doesn't like you to stay too long in the No. 1 position.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I think he wants to be No. 1, too, no? But right now, first of all, I am not yet No. 1. Second, I played a very good tournament here in Cincinnati, no? Semifinal, and after winning in Toronto is almost perfect, no?
So I play my best summer hard season in my life, so very happy for that. Today he played unbelievable in the first set. In the second, I felt well, in some moment I felt I was playing better than him.
Finally, he beat me. He have the break in the 5-All, no? So just congratulate him because he's playing well. You know how is the tennis. Probably I wasn't at my 100% condition. During all this tournament I didn't play my best much.
Today I think in the second set I played better than the days before, so happy for that because I end the tournaments with good feelings.
But it's very tough, the calendar, no?

Q. Was the first set more because of fatigue? You've been playing well. Looked like the first set was very different than what you had been playing before. Was it just him playing better, or...
RAFAEL NADAL: No, he plays unbelievable the first set, no? Nothing to say, no? He touch the ball unbelievable. Every time he touch the ball always very close to the line.
So just right now difficult win set when other guy is playing like this. I try to fight for the rest of the match; I did. I have my chances in the second set, and today wasn't day for me.
He played better than me, but that's it. We don't have to find no one excuse. We are playing against the best players of the world, and in these matches if another one is feeling a little bit better than the other is a little bit easier, no?
Probably he's a little bit more fresh than the others because, well, he lost in Wimbledon in second round, so he has one month for prepare this hard season. One month preparing is easier. Probably he's in better condition than the rest right now, no?


Q. When you know that you will become world No. 1 quite soon, is it more difficult to focus than just on the next match?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. The true, no, because it's not the only chance, this tournament or the Olympics, for be No. 1, no, in case if I wouldn't be No. 1 here. So nothing extra pression, no disconcentrate (sic) because I know I have more chances.
I am in a good position, still in a very good position. The goal is only continuing playing like this and continuing improve my tennis for have chances for continuing winning important tournaments on this surface.

Q. But now that it's happened, do you not feel excited?
RAFAEL NADAL: What's excited, no? It's difficult. I feel happy because for sure be No. 1 is hard work from a long, long time ago, so very happy for that. But no time for be excited and be happy and enjoy. I have Olympics in one week. You know, I won Wimbledon and I won Toronto. I was playing in Cincinnati on Wednesday, so no time for enjoy nothing.
Only for try to continuing practicing and for try to continuing enjoying playing, but at the same time, being very focus all the time, no?
Maybe after the semifinals of Davis Cup I going to have some days for enjoy. I don't know if I going to be No. 1 there, but if I play well I going to have my chance. But after Davis Cup I gonna have chance for enjoy a little bit.

Q. With all the matches that you've played, is this going to be difficult on you physically to play the Olympics and then the US Open?
RAFAEL NADAL: Going to be difficult for me because I am the player who play most matches in this year. But that's good news, too, no? Going to be difficult, yes. Going to be difficult.
But right now I have one week for prepare Olympics; later I going to go back, two days at home. So I think it's only two more important tournaments. The last effort, important effort, so I will try my best for do well these two tournaments, no?
Later I play semifinals of Davis Cup, but this is at home so it's easier. Later I have three weeks at home, and later all the time playing in Europe, so going to be fine.

Q. When do you leave for the Olympics?
RAFAEL NADAL: When? Tomorrow I think.

Q. Are you excited?
RAFAEL NADAL: Excited? Right now not excited. I going to be excited when I am there, no? But right now it's tough after only be one week at home and I play in Toronto and Cincinnati, go directly to Beijing. Is long time to be outside the home. Some people don't how tough is it.

Q. As you look back on this tournament, what are some of the positives that you take out of it? I mean, the fact that you became No. 1, or at least you will be in a couple of weeks partially because of this tournament, what are some of positive that you take from this match?
RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) The positive things from this match is easy, no? Positive thing is when I was playing better the level wasn't -- was very similar, no? In the second set was very close, the match.
The other thing is when he was playing unbelievable I didn't have any chance. I think the level of what he played the first set is very -- almost impossible to arrive, no?

Q. So much of the attention this week has been about you and Roger and the No. 1 spot. Is Djokovic almost like the forgotten man?
RAFAEL NADAL: Forgotten? Maybe for you. Not for us, no? He's the No. 3 of the world, doing an unbelievable season, winning a Grand Slam. If he wins tomorrow going to be the third Masters Series, so he's playing unbelievable, no?
No one forgets Djokovic in no one moment, because he always is, well, he's in a very good position for try to be No. 1 at the end this season. Hopefully not, but he has his chance, and he has his chance for win Olympics and US Open, too.

Q. You came to this tournament with a lot of confidence because you won the French Open and Wimbledon. But he beat you also in Indian Wells. How can you compare those two matches?
RAFAEL NADAL: Both matches are completely different, no? Completely different situations. I arrived to Indian Wells, and it was my first tournament when I started to play better. After I played very well in Miami, and after I started to play unbelievable on clay and later on grass, no?
So I arrived in semifinals against Djokovic playing against Blake a very tough match and Tsonga too a very tough match.
No conserved (sic) for be in the semifinal, but very happy for be there, because I won two very important matches for me before. This time it's different, no?
I arrived here with probably my best moment in my careera. But at the same time, always is very tough play a good tournament here after win Toronto, no?

Q. In Beijing you'll stay in a hotel or in the Village?
RAFAEL NADAL: Village.

Q. Will Cincinnati always be special to you because you earned the No. 1 ranking here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe.

Q. How does the Olympics compare to other tournaments like a Grand Slam or something? How is it different and how do you appreciate it?
RAFAEL NADAL: The difference I don't know, because last time when I played Olympics I only spend one day there.
So right now maybe after Grand Slam this year is the most important tournament, no?


(via ASAP Sports, photo/Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal - Cincinnati 02. August Interview