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TMS - MONTE-CARLO

April 21, 2006

Rafael Nadal

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. So it started as a close game and suddenly it was not a close game. What happened?
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe I have my chance in the first game, Love-30. He returning the 30-Love little bit short and he give me a dropshot. And after, I play a good point and he touch the net, and going down.
So I -- he play well, no. He was beginning playing good. I don't begin -- I wasn't begin bad, but he was play little bit better in the first two games.
But after, no, he started change, no? I can won the third game. I get a lot of confidence then, no. Maybe I play more aggressive with my forehand especially. I serve well. The backhand, so much better. So I play a complete match, no. I happy for with my level today and with the victory. Is important victory, and stay in semifinal.
Q. Do you feel as though you are beginning to play now at a very, very high level, at one of your highest levels?
RAFAEL NADAL: Today is the first day.
Q. Today is the first day.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yesterday, I don't play very bad. I don't play bad. But today is the first good match for me, no. I play the best match in the week, for sure. I am happy for that, no. Is important for me play well, especially in quarterfinals. So I am happy because I play my best match in the more difficult match, no? So that's important.
Q. Have you been watching Gaudio at all? He seems to be coming back into very high form as well at the moment. What do you make of his performances so far?
RAFAEL NADAL: Gaudio is playing very well, no. I saw him today. He was playing unbelievable level with his backhand especially.
But, you know, no, I only think about my game, I only think about play good me, no. So if he play very good and beat me, congratulations, no. But I need play good me. If I don't play good, sure, I don't gonna win, no.
Q. Coria said that your balls were very heavy today. At one time he said you are so strong physically, that you are a "beast."
RAFAEL NADAL: He say?
Q. Yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL: Today maybe I play more heavy, no. I touch the ball harder than the other days, so much harder maybe. And that's important, sure, no, because for play good, you need play harder and go play aggressive, so that's important. And also (indiscernible).
So clay is not exception.
Q. Did you understand what happened to Coria towards the end of the match? He looked tired. Did you speak with him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. No, I don't speak with him after. But maybe he was a little bit dizzy. But, you know, no, if you watch the last matches of him, yeah, he play very tough, with a lot of tension, because he was serving very, very bad. Today he served bad so, sure, he don't serve well, but because his serving is low. But compared with the other days, he just serve bad one game with three double-faults, no.
Maybe he was a little bit tired, because the mentally was unbelievable in especially the last two matches, no, against Mathieu and Kiefer. The two matches was losing easy and then after he can change the match. So you can do one day, two days, but every day is impossible.
Q. Do you watch the Federer matches?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Q. What do you think of his condition on clay now?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always the same, no (smiling)? Same condition always, no? So good.
Q. When you say you played your best match today on clay, what is the most important thing for you during a match to consider your level good? Is it the depth of the shot? Is it the power? Is it the concentration? What is the key when you judge yourself?
RAFAEL NADAL: I'm hit few mistakes and play aggressive, on the lines (laughing). No, I am joking.
No, I play without mistakes and tough, no, harder. And that's all. Aggressive without a lot mistakes, and aggressive with my forehand, no, that's all. And consistent with my backhand.
(Speaking in Spanish.)
BENITO PEREZ-BARBADILLO: He said that came good out of nothing.
Q. In the rally when you got three great shots back, a couple of smashes, in the 5-2 game, fantastic rally, he turned around and he got his racquet and he went like that to you (indicating), as if he wanted to shoot you. Did you actually see that? Did you see him do that?
RAFAEL NADAL: When?
Q. In the 5-2 game.
RAFAEL NADAL: In the very large point?
Q. Yes, yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: He dropshot and after --
Q. He got his racquet out and went like that.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't see.
Q. I think he thought his best chance was to shoot you.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know (smiling). I don't see. I just thinking about my breathe (sic).
Q. When you prepare for a match, do you have a strategy for each match, tactics?
RAFAEL NADAL: The special strategy is playing good, no. Playing good, and I'm play my game. After, you can prepare. After that, you can prepare the match.
So some aspects you can prepare, yes. Always I prepare a little bit the matches, no.
Q. But together with your coach?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, sure. Yeah, always I think about what I need do for... (speaking in Spanish).
BENITO PEREZ-BARBADILLO: So that the opponent is uncomfortable.
RAFAEL NADAL: Always we was thinking about that, especially in the very tough matches. But normally I am thinking about my game, no.
Q. So you know exactly how to play against Roger?
RAFAEL NADAL: Exactly, no, because you know, no. If you look him bad point, bad shot, I don't see. I don't see. He has a very good backhand, unbelievable forehand, good serve, good volley, good slice, good dropshot, he's fast.
Q. So it's very difficult.
RAFAEL NADAL: Confidence (smiling).
What's the chance, you know? There's a chance you play unbelievable. If I am play unbelievable, I can win. But if you see what's the bad point, maybe you don't gonna see, no.
Q. So you can attack him on his backhand with your forehand, it's an advantage.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, but you can play tough. I need play tough. I can attack but, sure, I need play very good. Because I beat him in Dubai. I play -- I saw the match sometimes on TV and he was playing unbelievable in the first set. I don't have any chance. After, he start change a little bit, but I was playing very tough all the time with his backhand against his backhand. But I can't play all time against his backhand because he has good backhand, too, no? I need change.
Q. You were saying you were having problems with your backhand.
RAFAEL NADAL: My backhand? I improve today.
Q. What was wrong before? What do you think was going wrong with it before, though?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. If I know before, I was playing better two days before, no (smiling)?
So, no, I don't know. I get a little bit confidence with the match of yesterday. After the match of yesterday I was practicing after with my coach 25 minutes, 30 minutes, and that's important, no, maybe always. And today I feel more comfortable, no.
Maybe today I touch the backhand not a hundred percent, but good, good level, no?
BENITO PEREZ-BARBADILLO: Okay?
May I say one thing. The reason why he came late is because the players' restaurant closes at four. If he doesn't get to eat before four, it's a disaster. So that's why he came late. That's the reason why.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry.

End of FastScripts...

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