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THE STELLA ARTOIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 14, 2006

Rafael Nadal

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Rafa.

Q. Good day for Spain.
RAFAEL NADAL: Very good.

Q. How much of the match did you see before you had to go and play?
RAFAEL NADAL: I saw the match until 3-0 when we had the third, and I go to the court.
But maybe today I saw the best team now since beginning the World Cup. Maybe today I saw the best game, no? For me, not just for Spain. I saw a lot of matches. Sure, is Spain (smiling). But I saw the best team today. We play very fast and aggressive all the time.

Q. So with that win, Spain's win, and your win, you must be very content? You must be very happy?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I'm very happy, sure. Very happy.

Q. You looked very comfortable out there playing today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure, I am serious. Was very important victory for me, no? Is very good surprise. I know Mardy Fish is a very difficult match on grass. He has a very good serve. In the first set I cannot return too much balls, no, when I receive.
But after, in the tiebreak, he miss-take two first serves. I go a little bit back with the second. I put the ball and play the point. I feel good because I have a good control of ball. And when I go to the -- when I play a little bit more aggressive, I feel comfortable, too, no?
Maybe I play a very good match. I just have two hours and a half before this match on grass. So that's very important and very difficult, no?

Q. Do you feel tired at all after two weeks of hard work in Paris?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, a little bit. Yeah, I feel a little bit tired, sure. But especially the muscles, little bit tough. And surface change is a tough change.
But this first victory is very important, no? Is important for this tournament, for me. Is important for get confidence for Wimbledon, too, no?

Q. What did you think of the atmosphere? It's a very different kind of atmosphere at this club to normal. What did you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: I like a lot the atmosphere of grass, no? Is a different atmosphere (speaking Spanish.)
THE MODERATOR: Ceremonious.
RAFAEL NADAL: It's different, no? I feel I am playing very important thing when I go to the court because all the people stay with calm, silence. So is different, no? So the points always is very short, just one ball. So is different. Different sport (smiling).

Q. Do you like it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I say always, no, I like a lot grass. Is very nice play on grass. Is difficult sometimes when you play against a big server. But if we just have one serve for play, is gonna be unbelievable, unbelievable game on grass, no? Will be very nice because the game of the baseline is very nice because you can put the slice, you can go to the net, you can go a little bit more slow, you can go little bit more fast. In the greenset, in clay, you need put all time play tough. Here, you can play different styles, yeah. So just with the first serve the match is not the same.

Q. You have a tremendous kind of record in tiebreaks. You like the intensity of a tiebreak, don't you? You enjoy that kind of -- it's got to be quick, you've got to play your best shots in a short space of time.
RAFAEL NADAL: Is important play good the tiebreaks, no? Is very important, this. Always pressure moments. Is very important, the first points. And after you have to think always, no? If you are losing 4-2, 5-2, 4-1, always you have chance because the rival is playing with a lot of pression, too, no? So you can have one good point, 4-2, 4-3, the match is very close in these moments. Every player feel the pression. Me, too, but the other one, too, no?

Q. Your English is getting better all the time. Do you still have lessons every day?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. But if you want, I can (laughing).

Q. In the last three months.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I improve. No, I don't have lesson. But every day I have lesson, no? Every day I ask, What is this word? So every day I need to speak. So that's good for my English improve.

Q. Are you happy describing the way you play in a foreign language?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I want improve, sure. But now is what there is, no?

Q. The other day you said that this first match on grass, that you weren't sure how you would play and if you would win. So are you surprised at yourself?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I'm surprised, no? I say before, no, is a very important victory for me, this. Because now I play another match here, and is very important for me play some matches before Wimbledon, no? I have little bit exhibition before Wimbledon, two matches. I don't know in this club, any club. Which club? The exhibition before Wimbledon?

Q. Are you going to Stoke Park? Boodles?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know.

Q. Here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, is in London. Is important. Is important have more matches before, no?

Q. Will it be strange playing a Spaniard on grass against Fernando? You play Fernando Verdasco next.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah.

Q. So to play a Spaniard on grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, is okay. He's playing well, no? He pass the qualify. He win two matches here, so he have five victories now, five victories on grass. So he has a good experience now, a lot of matches, more than me. So maybe he's the favorite for that, no, because he is not the same. Is always is different.
But I gonna play my best, no? I gonna play my best. I want to play good, and I gonna try win this match.

Q. You have dinner with Fernando when you're here?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I don't have dinner with him yet before. But I don't know. Today, I don't know. You never know, no? I have my coach, Feliciano. So if Verdasco come, perfect. No problems.

Q. Because it was so mentally intense in Paris, are you trying to have maybe more relaxation in the evenings, maybe get out a bit when you're here in England next week?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I go to dinner to El Cambio de Terg'o. Is a Spanish restaurant here. I like a lot the restaurant. Every year when I come back here, I go there. So I will have good relation with the chef, with the management. So is -- I enjoy there, no? I can stay with calm and speak with my friends and with my coach, Feliciano, every. I feel good, no?

End of FastScripts...

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