"I didn't play well, I was super lucky to be through" - Rafael Nadal after stunning comeback against Sebastian Korda at Indian Wells
Rafael Nadal extended his 2022 winning streak to 16 matches after overcoming Sebastian Korda in the second round of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open on Saturday.
The Spaniard showed incredible fighting skills to come back from two breaks down in the deciding set against Korda, eventually prevailing 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(3).
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Nadal said he felt really "lucky" to come through the match in the end. The Spaniard, however, was quick to point out that he needed to play better in the coming rounds.
"I don't know, I was super lucky today to be through, honestly," Nadal said. "Accepting that, I need to play better because I didn't play well. I will work tomorrow to try to be ready for after tomorrow.
"I don't know," he continued. "I thought I lost today, so... And in Australia, very similar feeling. But that not means that I going to keep trying or keep fighting, that's all."
On being asked about his willingness to fight for every point, Nadal said it came naturally as he grew up with "this kind of education".
The 35-year-old added that talent, according to him, could mean different things to different people. The thing that mattered to him the most was the passion for the sport.
"Well, the word 'talent'," Nadal said. "It's difficult because in this world there is so many different talents, no? From my point of view, of course you need to feel the passion for this sport, but at the same time everything -- you can practice everything.
"The reason why I have been fighting during all my tennis career or I have the right self-control or I have the right attitude or fighting spirit during my whole tennis career is simple," he added. "Because I grow with this kind of education."
"My uncle, my family, never allowed me to break a racquet" - Rafael Nadal
Shifting his focus to his on-court demeanor, Rafael Nadal said his uncle and family instilled strong values in him growing up. They never let him say any bad words or break a tennis racquet.
He acknowledged that although a win was important for him and his team, there were bigger things than the outcome of a tennis match.
"My uncle, my family, never allowed me to break a racquet," Nadal said. "Never allowed me to say bad words or threw or give up a match.
"Probably when I was a kid, they didn't care much about winning or losing," he added. "Of course, all the parents and family, my uncle of course, my coach, wanted me to win every single match. But probably that was not the most important thing. The most important thing was the education and the fact that I grow with the values, with the right values."
Rafael Nadal will next face 27th seed Dan Evans for a place in the fourth round.