US OPEN

August 26, 2006

Rafael Nadal

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about your first-round match against Philippoussis. What do you see from that match? What danger does he present?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, he's big server, so is gonna be a tough match. The first round is not comfortable rival, no? Is gonna be difficult, so we will see, no?

Q. What do you think is his biggest danger? What is his biggest strength, problem for you, Philippoussis?

RAFAEL NADAL: My biggest problem?

Q. You say he's a danger as a first rival. What is his biggest weapon?

RAFAEL NADAL: He's a big server. He's a good player. He was in top 10. Play very good matches. So we'll see. I know if he is playing his best, gonna be very, very tough.

Q. A couple of the players have said that the speed of the court isn't as quick as over the years. How do you find it?

RAFAEL NADAL: Here?

Q. Yes, here.

RAFAEL NADAL: Is very quick, I don't know, no? I am practicing. I feel good. Not slow and not very quickly, too, no, so that's okay, no?

Q. How would you judge, assess your summer? How was your summer?

RAFAEL NADAL: My summer?

Q. Yes.

RAFAEL NADAL: For what?

Q. The tennis part of your summer, how was it?

RAFAEL NADAL: When it start? When start my season in the summer?

Q. After Wimbledon.

RAFAEL NADAL: After Wimbledon, so, the first month was very good, Mallorca. I play very good (laughing).

Q. How was your play?

RAFAEL NADAL: Unbelievable. I was playing very good. Very good wins (smiling).

After that, the next month I don't play my best in Toronto and Cincinnati. Yeah, normal, no? Sure, is not the best, the best part of the year, no? I was playing bad in Toronto, very bad. I improve for Cincinnati. I was playing better in Cincinnati. I practice a lot. I get a little bit more rhythm, and I was playing better, no?

I have -- I don't play very good the important moments against Ferrero. For that reason I was lose this match. But was a very good opportunity for me, no, for play a very good tournament in Cincinnati.

But I am practicing here for one week, and I feel good, no? I feel in my best moment since the last weeks. I am happy for that, no?

Q. What would you consider a successful US Open?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, is one -- US Open is one of my special goals of the year, no? I was playing bad the last two years, so gonna be important for me, this tournament, no? I work a lot the last weeks for be prepared here. And that's it, no? I always, when I start the season, I always was thinking about this tournament. Last year I played my worst tournament in the year here, and this year I want to change that, no? I want to play a good tournament here, and I need be on my hundred percent physical and mentally for sure.

Q. How did you relax in Mallorca?

RAFAEL NADAL: Mallorca good, no? I was -- I have some things to do. First week I was off. After, I start to practice. But I have some work with sponsors, some things.

Q. No fishing?

RAFAEL NADAL: Huh?

Q. No fishing?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, yeah, I fish. I fish. A lot of fishes (smiling). Yeah, I fish. I was fishing the first week especially, and after some days more, no? Yeah, playing little bit golf, too. Go to the beach. Was very good weather. And practice, too, no? Work a lot physical performance.

Q. Too hot?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, very hot. Unbelievable. Unbelievable.

Q. What challenges does playing on hard courts present to you? What's the toughest part of playing on a hard court?

RAFAEL NADAL: I always say the same, no? The toughest thing is play good. If you are playing good, you have chance in any surface. If you are playing bad, you gonna lose here, on clay, on ice, or in the beach, no? Anywhere, you gonna lose, no?

So the thing is if I say I am playing good, maybe I have very good results here in this surface. I don't say it, but I play very good tournaments Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami last year. I won in Montreal, Madrid. So that's not the problem, no? Maybe the problem is if I am playing good or not, so that we will see.

Q. This question is just for fun. If you had a heavyweight boxing match with Roger Federer, who would win?

RAFAEL NADAL: What?

Q. This question is just for fun. If you had a heavyweight boxing match with Roger Federer, who do you think would win?

RAFAEL NADAL: A boxing match? Yeah, maybe me. I am little bit more tougher, no (smiling)?

Q. Do you like to do anything more exciting than fishing and golfing? Do you like to do anything dangerous?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no, nothing dangerous (speaking in Spanish).

I am very coward. I want to fun, enjoy, but not -- without danger.

Q. Can you talk about the retirement of Andre Agassi.

RAFAEL NADAL: Can you repeat, please. I don't listen.

Q. Could you tell me about the retirement of Andre Agassi. He has great achievements.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, so he's (indiscernible) for the tennis. He change a little bit the tennis. He's a legend of the tennis. He is one of the more charismatic players in the world. He deserves respect and admiration from everybody, no? He play a lot of years and unbelievable level. That's very, very difficult, no?

I admire him a lot, and I want to say him good luck after the tennis life, no? I have the luck for play against him two times, and I am happy for that. I played last match against him, his last match in Wimbledon, so that was very, very nice.

Q. Your loss last year to James, was that your most disappointing loss in your career, or you had others that were more disappointing?

RAFAEL NADAL: Last year against Blake?

Q. Yeah.

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, Blake is a tough player. I have more loses tough, too, no? Is not that.

Q. Are you still being questioned about drugs in sports, or is that over?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no (speaking in Spanish).

No, not one is speaking and asking me nothing about that, no, because someone say that, someone say this lie, and this crazy guy, I don't know who is.

If is not true, is stupid continuing speaking about that, no? Is nothing.

Q. So you're not being questioned any further at this point, no more questions, no one's asking you more questions?

RAFAEL NADAL: Because why more questions? You know, I know that's not true. You know that's not true. Everybody knows that's not true. I have 17 controls antidoping every year, so that's stupid say anything without -- not one information. The government of Spain is... (speaking in Spanish).

BENITO PEREZ-BARBADILLO: ...made a press release. He said there was a press release from the Spanish government about it, as well.

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