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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2008

Rafael Nadal

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Was it good to get a much easier match than your first round?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, different. I play, important thing I play much better. I play good, especially I started very good, the match, no? I played very high level in the first set, I think.
And, well, later I had some mistakes. But anyway, I'm happy about the match, happy about my improve after first round, and especially I improve a lot with my serve and with the forehand, too.

Q. Were you more aggressive? Were you a little bit more aggressive than the first round?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sure. Maybe the opponent was a little bit easier, so was a little bit more aggressive today. He tried to play aggressive all time, but he give me a little bit more rhythm than first round, no?
So I can come to the match, I can feel better the ball. And as I say before, I was practicing fine these last days, and today I start playing much better.

Q. Do you prefer the day matches to the evening matches?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, last year I have some night matches and it's tough, especially for the next day. Because if you play very long match in night session you can go to sleep 5:00, 6:00. Last year I was sleeping two times with the sun, so it's difficult later, no, be at 100 percent. For sure if it's possible I prefer play day session.

Q. What do you think of last night's incident with the pepper spray?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I really don't know nothing about that. Anyway, if something happened outside show outside diversion, it's very bad news for everything, no? I think this is only game and everybody have to know that, no?
We are good friends anyway. If I play against, I don't know, Ferrer, for example. It's only game. We can be rivals inside the court, but outside the court we are friends, no problem.

Q. How do you feel about this Slam down in Australia versus the others?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no? Every Grand Slam is special and every one is different, too, no? I don't know. I like this atmosphere here. The weather is fine. I like it. It's like a holiday atmosphere, no? It's different.
And, well, for me it's little bit too early in the calendar. Maybe for everybody it's better if we can start the season a little bit later. But it's fine to start the season hard like this.

Q. You think the Slam is too early in the calendar?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I think.

Q. You've been No. 2 for a long time now. Is it becoming frustrating that there's always the one man ahead of you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Why frustrating, no? 5,700 points or 800 points. Nothing frustrating, no? I'm very happy for be No. 2, and I will be love to be No. 2 for next hundred years.
So it's a very good position, especially with my point position. Anyway, if I have 2,500 and I am No. 2, it's very good to be No. 2, no? But I have more than 5,000, so I'm very happy to be here. Very happy about my last three seasons, and I will try my best for being in the top position this season, too.

Q. Were you aware, depending on your results and Roger's results, you could actually take over the No. 1 ranking after this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: It's really -- I really don't see now. I never -- well, I'm not watching in this way, no? I am watching and trying to play in front of me. I know Roger have 15 Grand Slams without losing before semifinals, something like this. I never won a Grand Slam outside of clay. I'd love to win any one of them.
If it's this year, better. Too many coincidences for me. I only try to play my best tennis and worry about me, and, well, try to go as far as possible. Well, I am fine right now win this tournament and don't be No. 1, for sure. I really don't know about this No. 1.

Q. Did you see any of Roger last night?
RAFAEL NADAL: I saw last four games in the match.

Q. Did you get much of an impression on how he looked?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the result says a lot (laughter.) But, well, I can't say too much, because in the last four games or three games when you are winning 6-0, 6-3, 6-0, it's tough to say anything, no?
I saw him with confidence, touching very good the ball, and playing very well, no? Not much different than always (laughter.)

Q. You've been the subject of some doping rumors at some point. So you know how difficult it is to have that around you. What is your opinion of how long it's taking to finish the investigation in the gambling case at Sopot? Is it taking too long, do you think? Is it unfair to the players.
RAFAEL NADAL: Is another one or from past time?

Q. Before, in the past, yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, about the doping, a newspaper from France say something. I don't want to say nothing because I say it a lot of times. But from the rest of things, I think the ATP is behind that. I really don't know nothing about fixing matches, because I am on tour and I see every day and every week everybody fighting 100 percent.
The true is I don't remember no one match when I win without the other fight. That's my opinion. I think everything is finished right now, no? And, well, I don't know if they delayed a little bit the investigation from Sopot, but I am with Davydenko, if is the case. I believe in him, no?

Q. Do you think the investigation is taking too long, or it's fine?
RAFAEL NADAL: This kind of thing is not -- it's never easy, no? So it's just tough say something and take any position. We'll see what's going on in the next months. But, anyway, I'm sure about the ATP is everything is under control.

End of FastScripts

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