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MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO

April 22, 2007

Rafael Nadal

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Next time you're going to play Federer on clay you cannot say you're not the favorite.
RAFAEL NADAL: I know now you're going to have this question for you. I'm going to have to say same, because, well, the truth is on clay I have -- I had a lot of titles. I am playing well. But in my opinion, the match of today was very open.
I don't know the chances for him or for me, but very, very open all the time. And, you know, if he was coming without losing a set, I was coming to the final too without losing any set, too. We have maybe the same options. Not the same chances for everyone, but he's the No. 1 of the of the world and he's the favorite.

Q. When you win a set -- and you won the first set today -- he gets demoralized. It almost seems like he doesn't think he can come back against you on clay. Perhaps on something else, but not on this surface.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. But it was very important moment in the 4-3. Remember 4-3 in the first set? He has two breakpoints, I think. But I finally won this game. It was very important, because it was a tough moment for him. In 4-All he has some mistakes with the forehand. I can have the break and, okay, I'm finish the set with my serve.
After that, the match change a lot, no? I have a lot of chances for break in the first game. I have one chance with very difficult passing shot, but finally it fall a little bit in the net.
The second game I have break, but after I have in the 4-2 -- not very easy, but, well, forehand for I have the point can and to go up for a little bit.
So, well, I have the chance with 5-2 and the match was finished with 5-2 and two breaks. But finally he come back and win this game and the match was close in the end.
It was important game for me 4-3 in the second set. He has three mistakes. That give me a lot of confidence.

Q. But overall it was easier than expected for you, is it? It was two sets, one hour and a half. Did you expect such a game?
RAFAEL NADAL: I always expect very tough match, because I play with -- every time when I go on court I think it's going to be -- it's possible I'm going to have a very difficult match. Especially if you come to the court against the world No. 1 it's going to be tough.
So, well, I was with confidence because I was playing my best tennis this week. But I know he was very, very good, too. Finally I won in two sets, but sometimes the score is not the same like the match. The match was tough. I think the beginning he was playing better than me.

Q. Were you surprised he made so many mistakes with his forehand, because normally it's his best weapon?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I am trying -- I was trying put my forehand against his backhand and change to his forehand not a lot -- not much times, no?
But in the beginning he covered a lot his backhand. He touch a lot of forehands and it was very difficult for me. But I change a little bit and I tried to open the court with his forehand for after play to his backhand.
So, no, that was important tactic change, and well, the match change a little bit there. Well, it's true, he has some mistakes in the forehand that normally he doesn't have.
But I play good. I play always steady, consistent every point, I know that. So I was playing like this.

Q. What is your reaction to the idea that you played -- the five times you won five times against him on clay. You played 19 sets and you won 14. So he wins one set every three of yours.
RAFAEL NADAL: I never was thinking about that. I just know that -- I don't know. I know the truth is I won in the final tiebreak in the final of Roland Garros. I won with two matchpoints against him.
Rome, here I won difficult four sets. Well, every match is difficult. In Roland Garros two years ago I won in four sets, too. So every match is difficult. It's the first time when I beat him, -- no, sorry, second -- when I beat him with two sets when I won him in Miami, but long time ago. It's not the same, no?

Q. But the way you won today, you won very easily.
RAFAEL NADAL: Never easy.

Q. But it's a surprise or not, just the way you won?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure it is surprise when -- winning in two sets against the No. 1, no? I expect a very tough match and it was tough. Because in the beginning I saw the match and, well, Roger was moving very good, attack me the ball. Going inside for plays his backhand.
It was tough for me in the beginning especially, no? But after he have some mistakes and I feel very comfortable on court but it was very, very difficult first set.

Q. You served very well today: 85% in the second set. Was it one of the keys in the game?
RAFAEL NADAL: The first serve.

Q. Yes, 85%.

Q. 74% in the first.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I was serving slowly.

Q. Yes. But it was a tactic to do that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I know, sometimes Roger play better if you serve fast. I know that, no? Because it's better for him the point is going fast than if it's going slow.
And if I serve slow I have more time for the next shot. So, well, my tactics is always have a lot of first serve percentage inside against him, because if I miss the first serve with the second serve it's difficult because he attack the point very well and very difficult come back for me in the point.

Q. Did your bandana fall off on accident? Was it an accident?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure an accident. I was touching it like this, but --

Q. So you knocked it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. I pull out and I go to the net after because --

Q. (Indiscernible).
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, nice word. Because the point continuing with the hair in my face. Finally I decide to go in the net.

Q. So in Wimbledon you going to play with no bandana?
RAFAEL NADAL: Without?

Q. Yeah, so you can go more in the net.
RAFAEL NADAL: I'm going to try.

Q. So when is your next tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: Barcelona.

Q. Obviously you have a lot of respect for Roger, but the game he plays on clay, is there an aspect that you think he may need to improve on the surface to get closer to you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know, no? He's very good. So I don't know. I really don't know, because I can't say nothing about him because going to be stupid, no? To be speaking against the (in Spanish.)
What can I say about ten Grand Slam against two? So, well, he's very good in also places. Last year he play three finals two Masters Series one Grand Slam on clay.
So this year he start well, no? He's not play bad play the first clay court tournament final, no? He start well without losing a set. Playing very good two matches against Ferrer and Ferrero. Tough opponents always on clay.
So I saw him on TV and I like a lot his game, especially against David Ferrer and Ferrero. Very, very good matches.

Q. Are you going to bring the Italian sparring partner to your next tournaments also?
RAFAEL NADAL: He's Italian, from Italy?

Q. Yeah, Florence.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. I don't think -- I always warm up and practice with him here, especially when the week is over on the Friday or Saturday. So yeah he's very good sparring.

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