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PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 12, 2006

Rafael Nadal

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

RAFAEL NADAL: Hello.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Can you win this tournament playing like that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Playing like that? Like today?
Q. Yeah, like you just played.
RAFAEL NADAL: No.
Q. How much better do you got a be?
RAFAEL NADAL: A lot of -- a lot.
Q. It was a bit windy out today. Did the conditions affect the level of play?
RAFAEL NADAL: What?
Q. It looked quite windy. Was it tough?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, unbelievable, very difficult to play like this, no? It's windy, and the windy is not go to the right, to the left, like this, in front. The wind go like this (swing to left) and it's very difficult to play like this. It's not easy and I -- I don't feel good.
The first match always is very difficult, play good. And is you -- and if you're at -- the wind is very, very difficult.
You know what? I won and that's important. That's the most important thing. The first match is always the most important thing, is not play good, play good, play bad. It's the second important -- most important, to win. Because if you win the first two matches, after I know from experience, you won the first two matches, after you're gonna play better for sure, no?
Q. Is there anything you can do, like string your rackets a bit tighter or anything like that on a day like today to give you more control or --
RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, no, no. No changes. All the same.
Q. Rafael, you've beaten Roger three or four times that you've played. Do you consider that you have a legitimate rivalry now?
RAFAEL NADAL: I say always the same. I think he is -- he's the best now. He's the best player in the world, one of the best in history, and I think I need -- I need to improve a lot of things for try to -- you know...
Q. Do you think you have a little bit of a mental edge against him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't like speak about -- about what's better like -- (In Spanish)
THE MODERATOR: (Translating) I don't like to compare.
Q. What things would you like to improve upon? You said you'd like to improve. Your strokes or something?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure I need to improve a little bit more the serve. I am improving this year like maybe -- I been serving well, but I improve a lot of things. I need to improve a little bit more, the winner, the forehand winner and I think the ball, like the slice. But, you know, everything is important always improve every day, practicing with lot of humble and trying 100 percent in every match you know.
Q. Rafael, with the injury on your foot from last year, when you go on court now, do you think about it at all or it's not bothering you anymore?
RAFAEL NADAL: The first match is, you might say, a little bit, no? But now, no. I play very good week last week in Dubai, so I don't have pain. I feel good and I don't think about anything.
Q. Do you still need to keep giving it treatment or not anymore?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I have of some exercises, but nothing special.
Q. Rafael, what are your expectations for Wimbledon this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry?
Q. Wimbledon, looking a head.
RAFAEL NADAL: It's too far, no?
Q. It is. Okay.
RAFAEL NADAL: But for sure I always say the same, no? Wimbledon is one of the best tournaments in the world. I want to play good on grass. I like playing on grass, no? I like a lot, but I improve. And for this time I gonna play on Queens, and after that, I going to stay in London for one week before Wimbledon, no?
So I try my best preparation for try to play, try to improve the last one for play a good Wimbledon.
Q. How are the courts playing here? Are they favorable to your game the way that the ball bounces off these courts and sticking into the surface?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, is okay. Not like -- the court is okay. We can play good. The wind is difficult because we have wind and the ball, it's okay, no? It depend. ATP, we play all Master Series like that, with the same balls and, you know, we think with the weather, but the balls after three or four games stay like this, no, very big.

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