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WIMBLEDON

June 23, 2007

Rafael Nadal

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Rafael.

Q. It's one year on from you appearing in your first Wimbledon final. Do you feel, one year on, another French Open title under your belt, you have a better chance of taking one step further?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, better chance, probably not, no? I play the final last year. Better chance is difficult.
Well, I arrive here playing good. I was play well for the last month, playing my best tennis. But true here is one of my favorite tournaments. I love play on grass. The true is probably, for my style of the game, is the most difficult Grand Slam for me, no?

Q. Last week you said you were going to go back to Mallorca and not touch a racquet for a few days. Did you do that? Do you feel better?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I practice a little bit on Tuesday, last Tuesday, on clay a little bit, just some serves and volleys. Well, I arrive here on Wednesday, practice Wednesday and every day.

Q. Your forehand topspin is so important to your game. On the grass where the ball stays low, how difficult is it for you to get under the ball?
RAFAEL NADAL: It's not the same importance. Is difficult to play here with the same topspin, no? We have to change. I have to change a lot of things. One of the things is try to play the ball without that topspin, no?

Q. Are you still learning to do that better?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure, I always try improve. I always try to be better player, be a more complete player. To achieve that, I need continue improve the style of my shots, no?

Q. So what is the secret for you to accomplish that?
RAFAEL NADAL: If I know the secret, I know I going to play hundred percent good in every tournament, no? I just try my best every day, practice with the best motivation and illusion for improve.
After that, when you arrive to the match, just try the best. You never know what's happening.

Q. Is there a particular part of your game that you worked on or wanted to improve here on the grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's so close, Roland Garros than here. I know last year I play the final, but doesn't matter. Is so close. Is difficult adapt and change lot of things in just one week and a half.
The true, well, is more difficult for me because if the change is to the other surface, for example, grass to clay in one week and a half for me going to be easier, no, because clay is my surface.
For example, for Federer, is easier adapt to grass because is his surface. He feel very good on this surface. But for me is difficult because I have to change, well, the mentality, especially the style of my game. I have to change -- I need to play a little bit more aggressive all time and serve so much better. So I need adapt a lot of things on the court. Is not easy, no?
But anyway, I just try my best and work every day very hard, practice hard for try to go in first round for best chances of having win match.

Q. You mentioned Federer. Obviously this year he was so desperate to finish the French Open. He missed Halle, which he normally plays before Wimbledon. I know it's clay, but do you think that's going to make it easier perhaps this year, or do you think he'll be motivated as ever to win again at Wimbledon?
RAFAEL NADAL: He is favorite here, no? He is better than other players. The problem is he win normally without problems, no? Normally you have some matches, tough matches, but he always win. Normally he win in three sets without a lot of problems. That's going to help him a lot.
But he is better player than the others, no? He have more complete. He can do some different things, so that help him a lot.

Q. Still?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, sure, still.

Q. Do you think that your attitude mentally is too negative before you even start to play on grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: Negative, why? I say the true, no?

Q. You feel almost as Federer will beat you before you go on court.
THE MODERATOR: He didn't say that.

Q. That's just my impression.
RAFAEL NADAL: Is your impression.

Q. Much is made of Roger needing to win the French Open to complete his career. How important is it for you to win something besides the French Open to complete your career?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me very important every tournament, but especially if is Masters Series, Grand Slam, too. Is very important if is on clay, hard or on grass. Every Grand Slam I would love to win in any surface. Is clay, perfect.
I just have 21 years old, so I can improve lot of things. I have good results in other surface. Final here, for example, last year. Won Montréal. Indian Wells this year. Madrid indoor, too.
If I am playing well, I can have good results in all surfaces. If I arrive to US Open, for example, or here playing my best tennis, I'm going to have my best chances.

Q. Do you feel the need to prove yourself as more than a clay court specialist by winning a Grand Slam off of the clay?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I know I'm not just a clay court specialist, no, because I just play on clay. Bad luck for me because the calendar is difficult for the clay court players. I just can play four or five weeks maximum in clay. The rest of the season I play on hard, and I have a lot of points on hard.

Q. You're now scheduled to play Mardy Fish for the second time on grass. He will play somewhat like Robert Kendrick. These players who play serve and volley, are they a more difficult opponent for you on grass than someone who stays back?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he's a very good player. He's a very good player, especially on fast surfaces. He has a very good serve, good volley. Going to be a very, very tough match.
Is not the best first round, no? Is very difficult first round. I know that. Just go on court with my hundred percent.
I need be with good control with my serve for play with more calm, no? Is very important have good serves for try to win the games when I am serving without much problems, because if I start to have lot of problems with my serves, for the opponent, for him going to be easier, no?

Q. Are you happy today? Are you in a good mood today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Very happy. I wake up very soon. I play three times by now. Now starting to rain. The work is done.

Q. I ask you the question because today Thierry Henri has signed for Barcelona.
RAFAEL NADAL: What? Yeah, yeah, that's very good news for all the fan of football.

Q. For Real Madrid?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. Especially for the fans of the football if the best players of the world are in Spain, we are going to enjoy watching better football.

Q. Do you think that will give them the advantage next season over Madrid, the arrival of Henri?
RAFAEL NADAL: We'll see after the end of the summer because just start. The true is Barcelona have unbelievable team. He has unbelievable players. But Barcelona was the favorite this year, too.

Q. You figured out how to beat Federer on clay. Do you think you have an idea how to beat him on grass?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, is difficult say something, no? I just play one time against him. If I want to play against him, going to be in the final. I'm not worried about Federer.
I am worried about Fish right now. I just play one final here. I know is going to be very tough go to the final another time.
I going to try my best anyway, no? But right now I think about my draw, not about Federer draw and Federer. But is not just here on grass. In every tournament, no? If I have to play against Federer in every tournament, is in the final. That's the stupid thing about the final before the first round.

Q. When you started your preparation here, what was the most important thing from last year that you were able to draw back on and think about when you started preparing?
RAFAEL NADAL: Just is important go to Queen's. I was in Queen's playing. Is important win the first match in Queen's, because if I win one or two matches on Queen's, going to be important for Wimbledon for have little bit previous experience on grass, have some matches. That's going to help me for this tournament.
After that, just every day go to practice and try to watch (speaking in Spanish).
THE MODERATOR: How to prepare the points best, just to understand the surface, how to better prepare the points here.

Q. When you say "watch," do you mean watching other players?
RAFAEL NADAL: Always is important. (Speaking in Spanish.)
THE MODERATOR: It's important to copy and observe from the players that do it well on this surface. I'll have my own style.
RAFAEL NADAL: I'll have my own style. I think about my style, no? In my style, I need adapt my style to play in this surface. You understand me? Difficult for me in English that. (Speaking in Spanish.)
THE MODERATOR: I have to adapt my style, which is not made for this kind of surface, adapt it to this kind of surface.
RAFAEL NADAL: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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