TMS MONTE CARLO

April 16, 2005

Rafael Nadal

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I am happy because is my second final consecutive. And with this win, my ranking if I lost tomorrow is 12. That is very important for me. But he's playing unbelievable. He won two tournaments in last weeks. Here he qualify and won Federer, Davydenko, Mantilla, a lot of matches, tough matches. He is playing good. I am happy for this victory and for the final, not for the rival in the future. I think in the tour there is lot of players who are lot of very good players, not only Gasquet and me.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, it's tough for me because I have 5-4, serve, 6-5 and serve. I'm a little bit nervous. He play very, very tough. And after he have 2-Love in the second set. But he miss some balls and I come back, no, and won the second set. Is very important, because in the third set I think he is little bit tired and I am with a lot of confidence for the match.

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I think Coria, Moya, Ferrero, Gaudio, all players play very, very, very good, not only Gasquet and me. He is playing good, I am playing good, but everything can change, no? I am happy for this moment. He is playing very well, but you know in the tour there is a lot of players, a lot of very good players.

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I wait after two hours if I have any problem (smiling). But, yeah, I am happy because my first match when I play against Gasquet I don't have injury.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I think he is a little bit tired in the third set, but he changed his style for play... (he was getting tired because he was hitting the ball so strongly, it made him tired.) And he have lot of confidence. The ball all the time is inside, no, and that is not easy for me because the points only two balls, and I prefer play the large points, no?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, sometimes I ask for Gasquet, but, you know, the tennis is that, no. He's playing good now. He have confidence. I think he go up in the ranking, no. I think he finish the ranking in the Top 30, I think, no? And the last years I think he have a lot of pression for the French. And now he have Monfils and change the pression, you know. I think he's better -- that is better for him, no?

RAFAEL NADAL: Coria say that?

RAFAEL NADAL: You know, now he is playing very, very well. He have a lot of confidence with the shots, no. But Ferrero have very, very, very good backhand. Gaudio have very good backhand. Maybe is one of best backhands in the tour, but, you know, lot of players have good backhand.

RAFAEL NADAL: Who?

RAFAEL NADAL: I am the best? So I won the final, no (laughing)?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, I am not, not the best on clay (smiling). He play last year, he won last year here. He lost in the final in Hamburg. He play the final in French Open, you know. He is the best or one of the best, no. Ferrero is very, very good player. Gaudio is very, very good player. Moya, too. It's my first tournament Masters Series, and I am playing good. I hope improve for any day.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, is difficult, no. Is very difficult match. He is a tough player. I hope I will play the same level like Miami. I think if I play very good match, I have chance, huh? But only if I play good match.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I think I have play very good, very good tennis for won, and I will try to.

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Against Gaudio is very strange, no, 6-3, 6-0?

RAFAEL NADAL: He's one of the best players in clay. But Gasquet won Federer, I don't know. I think is a lot of strange of my match. Because Federer -- because my match, 6-3, 6-0. Because Gasquet, he is playing well and, Federer, is the first tournament in clay. He can lost, no? I think Gasquet is very good potential, you know. And Federer, Federer can lose the first tournament on clay.

RAFAEL NADAL: I think.