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TENNIS MASTERS CUP

November 17, 2006

Rafael Nadal

SHANGHAI, CHINA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Now we're gonna have a great semi between you and Roger. What is special to your match? It's going to be your sixth match in 2006 between you two guys. Five finals and just one in semi here. What do you think of this concept that you two guys are going to have a relationship like rivalry just like Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi did in the last century?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, tomorrow gonna be a very difficult match, nice match maybe.
Well, this year we play maybe five times. Yeah, five times. So, yeah, is nothing new, no? But maybe Roger is playing at his best level. He's in his best performance on his life, so we will see. But I gonna have a very, very difficult match, no?

Q. Just now Nikolay said he think Roger Federer will win the Masters Cup and he said Nadal, no. What's your response to that comment?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, yeah, for me, he is the favorite, too, no? So, well, we will see tomorrow. But everyone can have his opinion. So Davydenko think Federer gonna win the Masters Cup, so it's okay. Maybe he's playing at his best level, so we will see tomorrow.

Q. Can you talk about where your game is at this week? You don't seem to be quite on as you usually are, maybe struggling a little bit. Can you talk about how you're feeling going into the semifinals against Roger?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I am playing in indoor court against the best eight players of the world. If I don't have problems here, I never gonna have problems.
But I am very happy with my game, no? I was playing maybe at my best level. I won two matches against the No. 3 and No. 6. So, well, the first day I was playing against Blake. Good match. I was having two breaks in the first and in the second. I have big chance. Maybe against Blake, if I was playing the same confidence like today, the second set for sure then don't go out, no? I don't lose the second set, no?
I feel very good. For me, is very, very important be in semifinals, no? I today win a very, very difficult match against the No. 3 in the world, and in his best performance. So, well, I am very, very happy, no, after Wimbledon, be in my first semifinals. I am very, very happy. Is very important for me. I am working a lot for that.

Q. What is wrong with your left leg? Why did you need the treatment in the third set? Have you had to alter your game slightly in recent weeks to cater for a couple of injuries that you've had?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no, my injury is not important injury, no?
THE MODERATOR: It's like growth, like because of the growth. When he was little, it was hurting, when he was growing up. Now it's like that a little bit.
RAFAEL NADAL: I have sometimes problem, but not much times, no?
But today I was running a lot. Davydenko is playing very, very hard. And after, in the second set, I have some problems. And after in the injury, in the third set, I prefer ask to the physio. It's okay, no? He put me one hot, hot cream. That's it, no?
Yeah, I change little bit my game, but not for my injuries, no? For improve my game, I need improve. Always I am trying to play little bit more aggressive with my serve, with my forehand, too. I am trying to improve in my volley, in my slice. I am happy with my improves, no? I am working very hard the last months for improve that. Now I feel in my best performance, no, after long time.

Q. It seemed that during today's match almost all the fans cheered for you even if you didn't play very well. But that will not probably be happening in the semi, maybe in the final. Would that be a problem for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's okay, no? He's No. 1. Right now he is the favorite of the public sometimes, but I feel very good here, no? The public is very nice with me. I was here last year in Peking, and everything was perfect. This year here, I want to say thanks very much to everybody because I am enjoying a lot the week here, no?

Q. This is your first encounter with Davydenko. What is your impression on him? Your comments on Davydenko?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me, he is the No. 3 in the world, and he's playing at this level, no? He's playing unbelievable. He is very fast. He touch the ball very clean. He's touching the ball very clean and put a lot of balls on the lines.
So maybe is one of the best players of the world, that's the true. And in this surface, maybe more, no? He has very good results on all surfaces - on clay, too. But here he has unbelievable results and he's playing unbelievable level. For me, is one of my best wins of the year today.

Q. What do you think about the surface here in Shanghai? Last year many players were complaining about the surface. This year it's okay for everybody. What's your opinion about it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, we are happy with the surface. It's different than last year. Is easier for -- is not the same. Is less dangerous than last year. That's important for the players. For run, is easier and better.
Well, I'm happy. Is not clay, but we feel okay in this court, no? And maybe for the spectacle, for the public, is so much better this year than last year because we can see more rallies, more large points, more good points. That's better, no?

Q. Whap kind have of books, movies and music are your most favorite during your leisure time?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no? I saw a lot of films. I am reading books, too, okay. Not the same like watching films. But, well, no, I don't have any special favorite, no? And the music, I listen sometimes Spanish music, sometimes...

Q. Which band? Which singer?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, some different. I have the iPod and I have 1,000 songs. Sometimes different music.

Q. When I saw you after you lost your first match, your first set, you changed your wrist band to the Spanish color, national flag color. This wrist band colors, do they give you a lot of luck? And also Spanish people pay attention to your game and encourage you to turn around the game and win the whole game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, well, I change the wrist band. I change that. Well, the true is I don't have more on the bag, no? I just have this one. That's the true.
But, yes, that's -- it's nice for me. I was playing with these ones in the Davis Cup. Give me good luck always. Maybe tomorrow I gonna play with one, too, no?

Q. I heard you're learning English. Talk about your English lesson, okay?
RAFAEL NADAL: The true is my English lesson is you, 'cause after this, I have different hobbies, not only learning English. Well, I am studying sometimes. But I am improving my English. Always speaking in the press conference with the press, yeah, that's my improve. And I improve a lot, huh?

Q. You lost to Roger in Wimbledon final. Was the end of the winning streak. Do you think that he may find a way to beat you often so you got no chance to beat Roger especially on hard courts here in Shanghai?
RAFAEL NADAL: What is the question?

Q. To repeat again?
THE MODERATOR: We didn't get the question.

Q. The question is, do you think Roger found a way to beat you often, because the end of the winning streak over him was in the Wimbledon final because you lost to him.
RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, well, I don't know. You can ask Roger if he find the way for beat me, no? But maybe that's not the true, no? Maybe the other matches he was very close to me for win. In Dubai he was winning one set. In Rome he has two match points. In Roland Garros he was winning the first set. Well, every match is very tough. Every match is very difficult. Sometimes I win, sometimes he win, no?
Well, for me, he's playing best level. For me, no. For everybody, is playing better than me in the second part of the year for sure. And he's playing unbelievable, no? I saw him on TV. I saw live. Well, he's special, no, special player. Is gonna be very tough tomorrow beat him, win against him, no?
But I will try the same like always. I gonna put my hundred percent and we will see always, no? That's it. When I play against him other times, he was the favorite, too.
But tomorrow is difficult. I play on hard surface, too. It's not the same like Wimbledon and not clay. So I beat him in Dubai this year in hard surface, but outdoor. But I know gonna be very, very, very, very difficult match.

Q. Do you feel disadvantaged in any way that Roger gets one night off as a break, and you're playing tonight and again tomorrow night? Does that impact on your preparations at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. For be tired, for something like this, no. I prefer one more day because I have little bit problem in my knee. I prefer one more day for the recuperation, no?
But if I don't have any problem, for me the same, no? No problem.

End of FastScripts

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