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WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 15, 2006

Rafael Nadal

CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Rafa, please.

Q. It looked like you were working pretty hard. Was it a tougher match than you'd expect from a wildcard?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I know I was playing bad in Toronto (indiscernible). I am practicing here better the tournament, no, but I know, no, I wasn't with a lot of confidence. So the most important thing is the victory today, no? He is a good player. He has a very good future.
So for me I bringing very bad the match. Very bad. I have my chance in the first set with one 15-40. In the 30-40 I have one forehand and I miss that. So after the first set I can do the break in the third game of the second, but without play very good, no?
But in the third, maybe I improve a lot my level, no? So that's the most important thing, the victory. And in the third I finish the match too much better, no? So that's important.

Q. Did you figure that eventually after the first set you'd start playing better?
RAFAEL NADAL: After the first?

Q. Yeah. Did you feel like at some point you would begin to play more like yourself?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I -- I was thinking about victory always, no? But I know I was playing very bad. I had lot of mistakes in the first.
So after, after, I have a little bit luck, good luck in the first game of the second. He had some mistakes, and that's important for my confidence, no, I can do the break faster. After that, I improve my level, no?

Q. Are the conditions pretty different? It's warmer and a bit faster. Is it different here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Here is a little bit faster than Toronto, but the ball is still the same, no? The ball is still big. But is a little bit faster, yes. Is so faster.

Q. Is okay for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me it's okay. I always think I am -- is me playing good and I am playing bad, not the court is good, the court is bad, the balls is okay, what is bad. So it's me.

Q. Did you feel rusty in your run in Toronto?
RAFAEL NADAL: Can you repeat? I lost the concentration.

Q. Did you feel rusty in your run in Toronto?
RAFAEL NADAL: It's a new word. I gonna improve. I gonna learn a new one.

Q. Short of match practice, off your game.
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure, in Toronto was not a good tournament for me, no? Is important play a little bit better. Not the result. The result, the third round, sure, is not my best result but is not a disaster, no? But is the form, is the game, no?
So here I want to improve my game. I practicing three hours and a half every day before the tournament. So I work a lot for feel better, no?

Q. With all the success you've had on all surfaces, not having a win here, getting your first win, does that make you feel a little bit more comfortable playing at this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is important. I lost two dramatic matches here. Two years ago against Chela I lost with 5-3 in the third, and the last year I lost with three matchpoints, no? Ace with second serve. Big serve in the third -- in the first, in the first. And forehand winner on the line, no? So I remember exactly the match. So that's tough, yes.
Is important for me win here first match, no?

Q. Do you remember your victories the way you remember your losses?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, sure, I remember all matches.

Q. Can you talk about Sam Querrey. Is he someone we should look out for in the future?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, he's a young player. Just with the serve he gonna be a good player for sure, no? He gonna be in the top 50 easy just with the serve. After, he wasn't -- he don't play bad with the baseline, no, so that's important. And he has a very good potential, no? We will see. Always is important the attitude, too. So we will see in the future, no? He is young, one less than me? Yeah, one less than me.
But if you look, Djokovic is still in the top 20. Murray, too. So a lot of good players now is come back, no?

Q. You're probably asked this every week, but with you and Federer at No. 1, No. 2, the rivalry, what do you think about the rivalry and how it's kind of taken over tennis?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I don't think nothing (laughing).
I don't know, no? I live this reality. I just think about me, no? I am not looking Federer, he's winning, he's playing bad, he's playing better. I am worried about me. My goal is improve always my game. I am younger than him, but, sure, maybe I never be the same like him, no? But I am younger than him and I have lot of things for improve.

Q. Do you have confidence that you will be as good as him or that you can do what he does now in the future?
RAFAEL NADAL: That's -- so if you look the statistics, he's just one on the history with his numbers, no? So is difficult I will be the second, no?
So I am not thinking about that. I am thinking about improve my game, I am thinking about improve because in the next years I want to continuing be in the top of the top numbers. So for that reason I want to improve. I want to continuing trying to continuing winning good tournaments.
But I am not thinking about if I gonna be the same like Federer. I know that's -- it's not impossible, but very, very difficult.

Q. Carlos Moya adapted his game to win the title here on these courts. Does that suggest that you could also adapt your game so that you might have a chance?
RAFAEL NADAL: I won in Madrid, is faster than him. I won in Montreal last year, is faster than here. Is not adapt the game; is playing good or playing bad. If you are playing good, you have chance. If you are playing bad, is not the same chance.
But I am very happy. I finish the matches in Toronto, and I am not happy with the matches, no? But today I finish the match, I am very happy. I win a very important match, sure. I finish the match better than I begin, so I feel better for the next matches, no? Maybe I gonna improve my game now. I am prepared.

Q. Are you tired of being asked about Federer?
RAFAEL NADAL: Hmm?

Q. Are you tired of being asked about Federer?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, for me it's okay. But, no, I want to -- I am not tired for speak about Federer. I am tired for speak about the rivalry of him and me because on the tour is a lot of good players, no?

Q. You played Lee last week. How do you expect the match will be tomorrow on this faster court?
RAFAEL NADAL: He's a tough player. He has very good legs. He run a lot. He play faster, no, in the baseline. So we gonna see. I need play a very good match for try to win. I gonna try that.

End of FastScripts...

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