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MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO

April 21, 2007

Rafael Nadal

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What are I looking at, the paper?
RAFAEL NADAL: My stats. 48% inside serve.

Q. What do you think of the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think I'm playing very good game, no? I feel great on court all the time, especially in the first set.
Well, he start with some mistake, but I play very aggressive inside the court and play very long so he can't play his game exactly. Because he play very aggressive inside the court and I play very, very well after.
In the second set I have my chance in the first game of the second with the passing shot of the forehand at 30-All. I made that shot, and, well, after that the match was very, very close.

Q. I against Federer it will the first match of the year, 2007. What do you think is the biggest change compared to last year, apart from the fact that this time you will play best-of-three?
RAFAEL NADAL: Tomorrow we will see what's the change, no? But, well, I arrive here playing better than the last year. This tournament I feel so much better. I was play without too much pressure.
Last year I play very nervous all the time because I was defending a lot of points. This year I am defending the same points but I have the experience. And coming back from the American tour, I was playing very well there.
I'm happy with my game here. I know tomorrow is going to be a very, very tough match for me, and I hope him too. If not, going to be bad news.
I will try my best. I don't know what's the difference. It's the same condition: He's No. 1; I'm No. 2; it's a clay tournament. Nice match.

Q. So you don't see any change in his game at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't see too much changes, no. He's the best right now and he always improving, but right now he's playing very good and he's the same like always. He always play good.

Q. You're saying that you are playing better this year than last year the same time. Do you think he's also playing better this year than last time?
RAFAEL NADAL: He?

Q. Federer.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, if you remember -- last year before the final you have the videos. He was playing unbelievable tennis. He's playing very well right now too. He's in the final without losing a set. The numbers say that.

Q. For you, Rafa, what's the importance of your recent win in Indian Wells in terms of your confidence?
RAFAEL NADAL: Hundred percent important, no? Start of winning a Masters Series before defending a lot of points is a very good start. Because after that, well, you can play with a little bit more calm, without the nervous of a lot of time without play in the finals.
So right now it's easy because I play semifinal today and I play with a big confidence believing I can win. So if I was not winning Indian Wells, well, I am coming here with a lot of doubts. So right now I was arriving here with good confidence.

Q. Why did you decide to have a little training right now after the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. I was focusing the tactics, practicing the tactic of tomorrow.

Q. Was it spontaneous?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. 48 percent inside serves. I just trying to have some serves inside. That's it. I just having twenty minutes of serves, no practice.

Q. Do you consider yourself as the favorite tomorrow? You have one like 66 matches in a row.
RAFAEL NADAL: He's the No. 1. Always he's the favorite. Clay I have a lot of wins, 66 wins consecutive. But he's arriving playing very well, and I will beat him sometimes on clay, but the last two times he beat me in: Wimbledon and Masters Cup in Shanghai.
And, well, I am not the favorite I think, no. I think he's No. 1 and he start very good the season, too. He won in Australia, Dubai, and now he's in the final. Going to be tough match.

Q. You have a same opinion of Federer about ATP problems and the calendar of 2009. Do you think that Federer has the same opinion of yours about which is the No. 1 on clay?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. You can ask him. You can ask him. But for sure -- I don't know. It's very difficult thing about this tournament in 2009. 2009 not got going to be a Masters Series, no? Because it's one of my favorite tournaments, and in my opinion, one of the favorite of everybody, no?
It's very, very nice place. Very nice atmosphere every day. The court was full almost every day. Unbelievable. Very, very nice tournament, and I hope that's going to change. But I think it's going to be difficult, no?

Q. You are Spanish, but we have never asked you -- I have never asked you -- about Madrid as a Masters Series. What do you think about that? Because that's the tournament that makes all the problems because Madrid comes in the spring, Hamburg, Barcelona, Monte-Carlo. What do you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't have too much opinion about that because I love the tournament of Madrid, but right now my opinion is perfect. Indoor is very, very nice tournament for my opinion. It's the nicest indoor of the Tour for sure.
So I don't know if that much going to be the same outside than in indoor. It's very nice tournament. I love this tournament.
But the thing is, well, I don't want this tournament go out of Masters Series, no? But I don't know Madrid, I want to finish the Tour. But, no, I think we don't want this tournament and Hamburg go out.

Q. Roger said that he would maybe like for the fans tomorrow to play best of five. What about you? For the fans in the stadium would you prefer to play best-of-five?
RAFAEL NADAL: He would prefer what?

Q. For the fans he thinks it would be best to play best-of-five.
RAFAEL NADAL: Me too. I prefer play best-of-five. It's very nice matches, best of five always, and I feel more comfortable. The match is longer.
But, well, in this tournament I think we can play best of five 5, no? But in Rome it's too difficult. If you play the final the best of five the same way last three years five-hour match.
Hamburg it's impossible, no? But there's a good chance for the players, I think.

End of FastScripts

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