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THE ARTOIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 13, 2008

Rafael Nadal

LONDON, ENGLAND

R. NADAL/I. Karlovic
6-7, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Rafa.

Q. There was a lot of back and forth during the match to see which side his serve was going to go?
RAFAEL NADAL: A lot of time like this (back and forth). Was very tough match. Very tough mentally.

Q. Your reaction afterwards showed how important it was to win. A good win for you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, very important win, no? At the same time tough win because tonight I have the Friday night in Mallorca (smiling).
No, seriously, is a very important win because I beat against one specialist on this surface, big server. I practice my return. I think I return well. But I didn't have lot of chances. When I touch the ball, I return well.
I think was very tough mentally match, but at the same time I was very focused all the time, no? I have two Love-30 with my serve, but never I had a breakpoint against, and I have two breakpoints for me. And, you know, on grass, especially these matches, anything is deciding in two balls. So is very important to be prepared, have the best concentration. And today after 7-6 against the first set, I think I was very concentrate all the time. I'm playing important points very well in the tiebreaks, the next two tiebreaks.

Q. In the last tiebreak, you looked very comfortable dealing with his slice. Seemed to be like a coaching session for you where you were executing the forehand.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, when the match was coming, especially in the third set, in the third set I start to feeling the ball very well with the forehand, no? I have a lot of winners, difficult winners, some very good passing shots, too. I finished the match feeling the ball perfect with the forehand.

Q. You were never troubled with the low ball?
RAFAEL NADAL: Is one of my best balls, one of my best shots, no? When the other guy is doing the slice against my forehand, I have a very good shot there - normally, not always (smiling).

Q. Can you describe what it is like receiving a serve from Karlovic?
RAFAEL NADAL: Nothing. Is like a penalty. You have 50% for one place to other place. And after, with this 50%, you have 50%, because if you go to the good place, after you have to try to touch the ball good. And is very difficult, too, no?

Q. Do you have to guess where he is going to hit it?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. Is impossible wait in the middle, no? Is no chance.

Q. To be serious, you joked about Friday night in Mallorca. Even for someone like you, who is such a competitor, how difficult is it after a long clay court campaign, you've come to have some good grass court preparation, wouldn't it be nice to have three days' rest?
RAFAEL NADAL: I need, no? I was joking in the beginning with the Friday night. But the true, I need three days off, no? Four gonna be amazing (smiling).
Yeah, is impossible to play -- well, after this tournament I gonna have. If I lose yesterday, I gonna arrive to Wimbledon on Tuesday. But, you know, I am in semifinals right now. I don't gonna come back before Wednesday if I lose tomorrow. If I play the final, probably Thursday.

Q. So whatever happens, you are definitely going to go home for a few days?
RAFAEL NADAL: Go back.

Q. You've got to go back?
RAFAEL NADAL: I go back. Impossible to be here for more time. I spend like nine days in the last four months at home. I need play golf.

Q. We do have golf courses here.
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I only play golf with my friends, my family, and it feel like I am not playing tournament, no? And if I am here, anyway, if I go to play golf, I am thinking I am here for play tournament, no? So I need be there. I need be with the friends, be with the family, and forget the tennis for a few days, no?
But I have important match tomorrow in semifinals. For me is going to be important match. Going to be good test. Well, the true, if I win tomorrow and play the final here, is a very good points for me.

Q. Did you mentally prepare before the match today it was going to go to tiebreaks, playing a big server?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no? I just go on court, try my best every game, every point, try to be very focused with myself. That's what I thought before the match. If he has a break, you're finish, no?
I said yesterday, wait. When you are returning, wait your chance, because you're never gonna break him, but he can break himself sometimes, no? He can have one double-fault, one volley miss. And if that's happen, and you have one good return in that game, you can do the break. So wait your opportunity, no?
You don't gonna have four good returns and you're gonna break him. That's impossible. But sometimes can happen something like this, no?
But today I think Karlovic improves a lot in the last time, last months, last years. He is volleying very well. He has very good movements on the volley. And he didn't have a bad forehand, no? And the slice is tough here playing on grass.

Q. Does a win like that today show yourself how much you have improved as a grass court player in two, three years?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no, I know if I am playing well, I can play well in every surface, and especially here on grass. I played two finals in Wimbledon last two years. First one maybe you can do by chance. But when you have the second one, beating against very tough players on grass, like Soderling, like Fish, like Berdych, Youzhny, Djokovic -- Djokovic retired, but having good chances for win the title against Federer in the final, you believe you can play very good in this surface, no?
So I know I can go to Wimbledon and lose in first round because this surface you don't have hundred percent control of the nothing. But at the same time if I am playing well and the draw is a little respect with me, I gonna have chances for have a good tournament, too, no?

Q. Yesterday you complained a bit about your health. How do you feel physically today? How about your knees?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, you know, no, is a big change play to grass and in one day. So I feel little bit pain in the right knee. But, you know, I start the match feeling the pain, and when the match was coming, I feel much better.
Is normal. Normal have little bit pain in the beginning. But hopefully for the next week I have some few days rest. I need this rest. And after I prepare little bit more and arrive physically hundred percent to Wimbledon.

End of FastScripts

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