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WIMBLEDON

June 24, 2010

Rafael Nadal

LONDON, ENGLAND

R. NADAL/R. Haase
5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please, for Rafael Nadal.

Q. It was a tough match for you. What were you feeling in the third set when he was getting so many aces against you?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, was very difficult match. I said the other day after the first round second round will be very difficult. Was like this.
Sure, I was playing well all the time. That's my feeling. But in the first set, 6-5, 30-Love, and he has a good return, one double-fault, one mistake with my forehand, he had another good return, ended the set.
In the second I played well. In the third I play well, but something similar. I have the match under control, but later I saved Love-30 in that game. I had a smash, I had not very bad smash, but he was there, and finally I lost the game another time with very good cross forehand for him. Unbelievable. And that had nothing to do with the return.
So just try to be there, try to be very concentrate, very focus with myself and fight all the time. That's what I felt in the third.
And in the fourth and in the fifth...

Q. Is the fact you came back from 2-1 down give you more confidence than what you would have gotten from a straight-sets victory?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I confident after the match. Before the match, I tell you I know he going to be a very difficult opponent, because he's a big server, difficult player. On this surface, is very difficult to stop him.
I'm very happy to be in third round because probably today was difficult.

Q. Going forward, does that give you a bigger boost than if it would have been a straightforward match?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, I'm very happy to win in five sets. Everybody prefers to win in three, but is not possible a lot of times, especially in this surface because all depends on a few points.
Played probably four bad points in two sets and I lose both sets. That's the tennis like this. But mentally I think I was perfect in the fourth and in the fifth.

Q. You talked in Paris about the strings you're using, giving you more spin. Do you feel the same kind of effect here on the grass with the ball?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, always the same, no? The string can help you, but you are the person, you are the player, not the string. You play; the string doesn't play. That's my feeling.
Sure, the string can help you for moments, for maybe the string is better than the other one because give me the chance to feel the ball more time inside the racquet. That's give me a little bit more control. But that's my feeling, that you are the person. You lose, you win, not the string.

Q. Can you explain what happened this morning? Did you miss meeting the Queen? There's some suggestion you weren't there.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, was disappointing for me. But, you know, the Club knows, Wimbledon Club knows that before, because I have my routines before the match. I had a very difficult match, before the match, I know going to be a very difficult match. I had to practice around 12, so was impossible for me.
Seriously I thought the Queen was going to be in my match, and I would love to have the chance to meet her after the match. But wasn't possible because I think the Queen left before. For me was disappointing. I was excited to meet her. But was very important match for me, too.

Q. If you had known she wouldn't be there for your match, would you have gone to meet her?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, because I have my routines. Before the match, is very difficult when you have -- you don't know when you gonna play, no? You have third match. But if some injury there, you are on court before.
I had the practice at that time, so was impossible for me to meet her at that moment, no?

Q. When do you prepare for the match during the day? Is it two hours before, three hours before, when you wake up?
RAFAEL NADAL: When I wake up, I try to wake up as late as I can when I play in the afternoon because if not, the day is too long for me. I try to want to sleep a little bit later when I'm not playing early in the morning, because I play a little bit later. Wake up, have a breakfast, go to practice one hour, something like this, 45, one hour, 50. After that I have quick lunch.
Just I was in the locker room always doing my tapes, having a shower, and preparing for the match, listen music.

Q. You've been in situations here at Wimbledon where your matches have been pushed back by rain or something where you've had to play day after day after day. For John Isner, after a match like this, do you think he has a competitive disadvantage coming into the next round after playing three days in a row and long matches?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, was amazing, first of all. Was amazing match. Just congratulate both of players because they did something amazing. Be focus around 10 hours, that's amazing, to not lose the serve in all that time, no? So just congratulate both.
After that, I think the winner of the match was lucky to not finish the match yesterday because today probably they have yesterday to recover, yesterday night. Today they didn't play as long as they did yesterday. So they still have one day: today and play tomorrow.
Sure is a little bit disadvantage, but would be worse if they finished the match yesterday night at 9 because they had to play today. They have more time now. But, sure, is not easy to win. They make history, I think.

Q. You said you wouldn't change your routine to meet the Queen. Is there anything or anybody in the world that would make you change your routine?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know, I am playing in Wimbledon. Is not a joke. I love this tournament. I have a lot of respect for the Queen. I have a lot of respect for this tournament. Always was my dream play here. Today is a match, is a match day for me, no? So I have my things to do, and I try to do my best what I think is the best to win the match, no? So not in that case.

End of FastScripts

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