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XXIX OLYMPIC GAMES

August 11, 2008

Rafael Nadal

BEIJING, CHINA

R. NADAL/P. Starace
6-2, 3- 6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How well do you feel about your first Olympic Games?
RAFAEL NADAL: This is the second. Well, first and a half.
Very happy for be here, no? Enjoying the experience. Always a pleasure be here with the rest of the biggest tournament of the world. I enjoying a lot in the village. So very, very happy for have one experience like this in my life.

Q. You mentioned the Olympic experience. How would you compare this tournament to other tournaments? Do you see it as the Olympic Gold being like a fifth Grand Slam or is it like Davis Cup playing Spain's colors?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, probably after Grand Slam is one of the most important thing of the year, no? So the date probably wasn't the best for us because we have to travel to United States, after come back here, another time to United States. So that's very tough for us, no? Especially for me, because I played a lot of matches in the last month. Gonna be tough.
But at the same time, I am very happy for be here, no? Just try to enjoy hundred percent the experience, and later try my best on court. That's for sure.

Q. What is it like for you in the village? You probably get recognized a lot. Other athletes want photos. Are you able to get much privacy and rest time?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, people recognize me a lot in the village. But they are sportsmen like me, no? So if they ask me for a photo, I just do the photo, no?
So I told before, no? For me, is a pleasure be there. Is completely different experience than one tournament, and much better than one tournament, the experience, no?

Q. Could you talk about the match today. You had some trouble in the second set. Were you worried there may be an upset today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I start playing very well, no? I played very good first set. Happy for that because always is difficult to start the first match playing well. And I did, no? So I start very well.
After, in the second set, I had the break against in the first game -- well, in the second. And later, I had a lot of opportunities, no, for come back, a lot of breakpoints. I didn't convert no one. So that was tough, no?
I have a lot of chances, and for that reason, I did not win the set, no?
But he did well. He was playing well, having good serves and moving very good the ball with his forehand. And later in the third set, the important thing, I wasn't probably serve very well today, but I was winning the serves without problems, no?
So when I have the break in 4-2, I have one 15-40. But for the rest, I was winning my games without problems. He had more problems than me when he was serving. So that give me confidence. And finally I have the break and the match.

Q. How much did the air pollution here affect you in your workouts leading up to the Olympics? Has it been a factor for you at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. The problem is the humid, no? I don't know. The true, I didn't feel nothing, the pollution. That didn't affect nothing on me, no? The problem is the humid are very, very hard. I had to change the shirt every 10 minutes. So it's difficult. All the time, I have to put some product to the hands, try to change the towel all the time. So is extra work. But, no, I think it's fine.

Q. You may have to play Lleyton Hewitt in the next round. Do you still consider him to be a dangerous opponent or do you think he's on the downhill sort of slide? Doesn't play a lot these days.
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure he's one of the best players of the world, no? But he is not playing all the time. So for that reason, his ranking is not in the top positions.
But for sure he's a very dangerous player, no? One of the worst second rounds in the draw.

Q. I understand Prince Felipe was here today. Have you had a chance to speak to him at all?
RAFAEL NADAL: With the Prince? I saw Felipe yesterday on the basketball match of Spain.

End of FastScripts

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