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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 12, 2010

Rafael Nadal

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to be back here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Like every year, no, always is a pleasure play here in Monte-Carlo. For me is one of the nicest tournaments of the year.
For sure for me always is a special tournament to come back, and very happy.

Q. How did you find the transition from hard court to clay? Was it easy?
RAFAEL NADAL: You need some days. Yeah, I am practicing well. I am with every motivation to still playing like I did the last few months, and I think I'm doing well.
Just try to keep play like I did. Need few matches to try to play my best tennis on clay. But I think I am okay.

Q. Last year everyone was expecting you to win because you already won here. Maybe this year everybody expects you to win because it's been a long time since you have not won a tournament. What do you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am coming here with - I don't know - sure I try to play my best to try to win. I'm another one that I hope have my chances to play a tournament and have a chance to have a very good result.
But, you know, is a Master 1000. Is a very difficult tournament. Almost all the best players of the world are here. I did well last years on clay. I hope continuing doing like in the past, no?
But Monte-Carlo, it's, well, if I'm playing Monte-Carlo...
THE INTERPRETER: It doesn't mean that since I won Monte-Carlo five years in a row, I can win for the sixth time.

Q. A few words about the French guys and their chances on clay this season?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the French player are good players in every surface. Tsonga can play in every surface. Mathieu, too. Gasquet, too. Sure Monfils, too. I don't know how is him.
Well, I don't know, no? Everyone will have his chances and depends how they are playing - like everybody.

Q. You played at a very high level in Miami, although you didn't win the tournament. How encouraging was that coming into this clay court season?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played well in all the tournaments this year. I didn't win yet, but I was there all the time. I had the problem on the knee in Australia, but I was playing really well.
And in Doha, for sure, best level probably in Doha. In Indian Wells, I was playing very good tournament. I played a terrible match in semifinals, but the rest of the matches I was playing a very high level. And in Miami, too. I played well. I played good match against Nalbandian, very good match against Tsonga. And later in the semifinals I was playing very well in the beginning. Then he played well and I played little bit worse.
That's important, always play well, because that gives me a lot of confidence, give me know how I can play well another time, because the last year, the last six months, anyway, if I didn't have bad result, having semifinals, one final in Shanghai, quarterfinals in other tournaments, I feel I wasn't ready to win important tournaments.
But this year since I start, I feel ready.

Q. Do you think psychologically it's different now because the players, the other players, think maybe you are beatable on clay, when before they thought you were unbeatable?
RAFAEL NADAL: You can ask them, the rest of the players, not me.

Q. Does it change the mental game with you, as well?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I lost a match, one match, no, in Roland Garros? I lost in Madrid in one final. I won the last, I don't know, lot of tournaments, no, on clay? I won Davis Cup final. Important match for me, too, against Berdych.
I never felt I am invincible in no one surface - even on clay. Sure I'm not feeling the same now, no? For me, doesn't matter what the rest of the players think.

Q. You've improved a lot on hard surfaces, hard court. Do you still think that clay is your best surface?
RAFAEL NADAL: I hope so, yeah (smiling). I think I improved on hard. But I didn't improve the last year. I think I was playing well since 2005. I did very well in hard court, too, no?
Sure, I improved a few aspects of my game. That gives me more chances to play better in every tournament on hard because I playing well the slice and volleying. My volley's a little bit better. Sure, the serve, too. Probably on clay I did very well. But I only play four, five tournaments on clay every year. Is not a lot. But for last years was enough. I don't know.
I think always the clay gonna be a little bit more easier for me, but... I don't know.

Q. After last year, what is more important for you this year, to win Roland Garros again or win Wimbledon? What is your main objective?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me the more important thing is the match on Wednesday, first round here. That is for me the most important thing for me, no? I always thought day to day. Doesn't change, no?
You know, the big victories, you can have a big victories if you have the small victories before. Every year is important for that. Every year I'm practicing, try my best, and in every match I going to do the same.
So probably if I don't have a good result here, in Rome or in Madrid, my chances in Roland Garros or Wimbledon will be for sure less chances than if I have the good results here in these tournaments.
So I am thinking about this right now.

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