Rafael Nadal insists his only thought is this week’s ATP Rome Masters and not his French Open title defence.
The Spaniard is ready to put his Madrid Open quarter-final defeat to Dominic Thiem behind him as he targets an eighth title in Rome.
Nadal’s defeat to Thiem was his first clay-court defeat in almost a year and saw the 31-year-old replaced as world No 1 by Roger Federer in the latest ATP rankings.
But Nadal says his defeat in Madrid will have absolutely no impact on how he plays in Rome.
“I repeat the same always. When I win, I don’t talk much when I’m in the next events about the previous weeks,” said Nadal, who has a first-round bye in the Italian capital. “Okay, what happened last week was – forget it. And that’s it.
“I should have been playing better than I did. I know what I did wrong, and I’m gonna try to change that for this week.
“I’m very happy about my comeback after the (leg) injury. And winning two tournaments, now quarter-finals and here is another opportunity to play well. So that’s what I’m looking for.”
Nadal, who is targeting his first title in Rome since 2013, insists his approach will never change as he looks to get back to winning ways.
“Of course, the loss of last week doesn’t help me for Roland Garros. And, of course, the defeat of last week will not go against my possibilities in Roland Garros,” said Nadal. “I never consider one event, Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, like an approach for Roland Garros.
“Every tournament is very important for itself. And for me, even more. Because I have a great story on all these events. I won here seven times. And, for me, it’s very special always to play here in this tournament.
“So, I can win Roland Garros losing here, and I can win Roland Garros winning here.
“I don’t think what’s gonna happen here gonna make a big impact on what can happen in two weeks. But there is one thing that is 100 percent sure, I am not thinking in Roland Garros when I am here. I am thinking all about Rome.”
