Speech by Rafael Nadal at Winning 2017 Australian Open Runner-up

January 29, 2017

Well, good evening, everybody.

First of all, just can I say congrats to Roger and to all his team. Just amazing the way that he is playing after such a long time without…without being on the tour. So that’s just very difficult to make that happen. For sure, you’ve been working a lot to make that happy, so, well-done, comrade, feel very happy for you.

Well, for me, personally, it has been, well, a great month, you know. For the first time in my career, I spent one full month here in Australia, started playing in Brisbane, then playing…in Sydney and now being here for the last three weeks. So just an amazing month for me, I really enjoyed this beautiful country, fantastic people, supporting a lot all the events…supporting a lot all the events.

In every event that I played, I must feel it’s been unforgettable, especially here in Melbourne, always going to be in my heart. You know, great two weeks for me. I had some hard time, too, without having the chance to compete at full conditions. Some injuries, well, not that new for me, but it’s still always tough when that happens. So I worked very hard to be where I am today. I fight a lot during the both weeks. Today, I think, was…was a great match – play with Roger this afternoon, be more than me today.

So I just…I just gonna keep trying. Now, I feel that I am back at a very high level. So I gonna keep fighting during the whole season to have a great season and, for sure, to come back here for so many years and keep trying to have this trophy with me.

That’s the third time that I have this (plate) with me – this is beautiful but it’s still much better – the trophy! So I gonna keep trying hard to have the trophy again with me in the future.

Just can I say thank you very much, all my team, you know, we’ve been working hard a lot of months to be where we are. So just thank you for all the support, family, people, everybody who made possible that I am here.

Again, so, for sure, all the sponsors who’ve made possible this amazing event – one of the best events of all the world for sport, without a doubt.

So, many thanks to all the sponsors and especially…especially Kia – that’s my personal sponsor after…since 2004, so just thank you very much for the support.

And last thing, just many thanks to all the people who made possible event, tournament organization, President Craig Tiley, who is one amazing tournament director, everybody who made possible this probably the best organized event all the world for the players. So just many thanks to all Tennis Australia for the huge support to the players and I hope, I think, to the fans…So, just, I let Roger get the trophy. See you next year.

Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.