Rafael Nadal comes off "so genuine", says tennis journalist, sheds light on Spaniard's friendly conduct during Australian Open press conference

Journalist Connor Joyce stated that he found the 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal very genuine during his pre-tournament press conference ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

The journalist revealed that he was attending his first Nadal press conference and was left astonished by the humility of the reigning Australian Open champion.

On his social media platform, he mentioned that the tennis icon ensured everyone was seated before answering the questions.

"Sitting in on my first Rafael Nadal press conference. He walks in, shakes hands with the audio/transcription staff, and then makes sure all journalists are arrived and seated before answering the first question. Comes off so genuine for a 22-time major champion," said Joyce.

During his press conference, the Spaniard mentioned that he was not impressed by the new Dunlop ball to be used at the event. He stated that the ball lost pressure after two shots.

"The ball, yes. I don't know. They say is the same, but the ball is worse quality, without a doubt. We can't talk about that any more. It's what we have. We need to play with it," said the Spaniard

He added:

"I think it's a ball that don't get the same spin as usual. After a couple of hits, the ball lose the pressure. It's more difficult to hit with the right spin. But I think it's easier to play when you play flatter on the shots."

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"I have been losing more than usual, so that's part of the business" - Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal plays a volley during a practice session ahead of the 2023 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal is on a two-match losing streak heading into the Australian Open, having lost both of his matches at the United Cup against Cameron Norrie and Alex De Minaur respectively.

He stated that he needed to be accepting of the situation and be humble about losing more than usual.

"I have been losing more than usual, so that's part of the business. Just accept the situation. I think I am humble enough to accept that situation and just work with what I have today. I need to build again all this momentum. I need to build again this confidence in myself with victories," he said.

He added:

"But it's true that I have been losing more than usual. Of course, we can talk about things that happened last year, all the situations that I faced. But the real thing is I have been losing more than usual."