ROGERS MASTERS

August 12, 2005

Rafael Nadal

THE MODERATOR: Rafa has now held serve 42 consecutive games in the tournament. A career best. He also records his 63rd match win on the season. That's the most by any teenager since Andre Agassi who won 63 back in 1988. Questions for Rafa.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I speak every day that I am playing well all the time in this tournament. I think today is very nice match. I enjoy a lot in the court. I play very, very well. I feel a lot comfortable in the court. I think I am playing very, very well all matches in this week.

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I say I feel good every day here. I say when I arrive, I have good feelings every day with the court, with the balls, with all. I was practicing the first two days before the competition. I feel very well all the time here.

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Sometimes, you know -- last year I begin very well the year. I begin the year -- my ranking the last year, the 2004, I begin the year in 50. After two months, after three months, my ranking is 32. That's very well. I improving a lot. But after I have the injury for three months and a half, and after the injury I can't play good, I play very bad. Sometimes you go down and sometimes you are playing unbelievable. I think all stay here, in the mentality, in the confidence (pointing to his head). I think I improving. I am improving. I improve a lot this year with some aspects in my game. I think I play more comfortable with more security in my serve. That's important because when I go to the return, I can play with more calm. That is a good improve for me. This year I feel little bit more tough, more solid, more tough on court. I don't have lot of mistakes. Unforced errors a little bit always in the matches. That's another improve for me this year.

RAFAEL NADAL: I hope. I hope he retire first before me. If I retired before him, I am totally injury (laughter). He have 35. I am 19. I don't know... But I hope we will play. I would love play against Andre one final here. But I know, I always say for experience, every match is very difficult. I have very tough semifinal. Mathieu is playing unbelievable. He won Roddick the first round. He got a lot of confidence. In quarterfinal and in third round, Mathieu is playing unbelievable. He won 6-1, 6-2; 6-1, 6-2. These results -- (changing to Spanish).

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I say in the interview in the court, in Montreal, I am very happy. I feel good with the people, the public, unbelievable with me, support me a lot. That's important for my game, no, because I feel a little bit more comfortable with the people, with the public. I want to say thank you very much for all, no?

RAFAEL NADAL: For now I like a lot the club, the hotel, and the restaurant near from the hotel (smiling). I play every day. I don't have so much time for visit the city. But I say when I was here the first day, if I lost, I go to visit the Montreal. But I am in semifinal. If I lose tomorrow, I can't, because I go to Cincinnati. I need to prepare Cincinnati. I hope. I am young, I hope come here some times, no?

RAFAEL NADAL: Is different moments. I don't know. The final of Grand Slam, my first final, his first final, that's another atmosphere. Is a little bit different because we have a lot of pression. I think I have more, more, more pression. I feel very nervous in the final, all tournament in Roland Garros. Here I have a little more confidence. In the French, I have confidence, but I have confidence with a lot of nervous. Here I have confidence, but not too much nervous - the normal nervous. Today, before the match, I speak with my coach. I know is a difficult match and I need move Puerta because if he's playing like the middle with his forehand, he play very tough, is very difficult, no? So I begin the match trying go move the Puerta, play my forehand with his backhand because he have unbelievable forehand. I think I have a perfect match today for that tactic.

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Is my first time I am in semifinal and I don't lost the serve. That's good improve because, you know, the serve is not the best in my game. I am very happy for that. I think is not for the serve. Yes, of course, I am improve a little bit the serve, but I am playing very well with the serve. I change a lot the serve. I go slice or kick. That's important. And after the serve, I am playing good with my forehand and with my backhand, no?

RAFAEL NADAL: Of course, I need change. If I don't serve at 212 kilometer, 210 kilometer, I need change.

RAFAEL NADAL: No. Tony is with his family in Mallorca. He have holidays for Montreal, Cincinnati, because he travel with me a lot. He have three sons, small boys. He's staying at home. He come for US Open.

RAFAEL NADAL: It's okay. Is not the determinant the coach. I am happy with Tony stay with me. It's okay. This week I am with the coach of Feliciano López, with Francisco Roig. I have a good feeling with him, a very good relation. I was with him? Sud America, Brazil, Buenos Aires, Acapulco. I have a very good relationship with him and he help me so much in my game, too, no?

RAFAEL NADAL: No. I write with the right. I eat with the right. I am right for all, for all the right. For take, I don't know, forgive me (fake throwing his phone). Only play tennis with the left.

RAFAEL NADAL: (Throwing his arms in the air.) I don't know. When I was too much young, I play with two hands, the backhand like this, and the forehand like this (using two-handed for both). One day I need choose, and I play with the left. I don't know. In the football, I play with the left. I was play football at eight years old. I decide play with the left because...

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, sometimes I think that. But I don't know. (Speaking in Spanish.)

RAFAEL NADAL: Now I find the reason (smiling).

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. For me is not too much difference. In Australia I was playing tournament, I play in Auckland, I play in Doha, and I play very well in Australia. In the French, I stop, practice, come to the French for play the French. I stop two weeks. I play good, too. So I don't know. In Wimbledon, I don't play the week before and I don't play very good. So, you know, is not -- for me is similar. This time I going to stop. I don't play in New Haven because I play two Masters Series before. Is too much. I stop one week. But if we have -- if we don't have two Masters Series now, I'm going to play the week before for prepare. I feel more confidence if I am playing. If I am playing matches, I feel a little more confidence.