Rafael Nadal

March 21, 2007

Rafael Nadal

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you tell us how nice it is to win a title again after quite a long time?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, to win a title always is very nice, but I won a Masters title, so that is special.

Q. A lot of people were very surprised that it was eight months since the previous one. What's the reason for that do you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: As I say, every tournament I win, people ask me, it was some months without title. That's true, no? But, well, I was in quarterfinals US Open, quarterfinals in Australia, and semifinals in Shanghai. I wasn't win, but I am there all the time, just trying, trying, trying, and that is what I feel.
Last week I feel very, very well that finally I can win.

Q. Has it always been a question of fitness, of physically being fit? Has that also been a factor in this? You had the injury in Australia.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it is important always not have injuries. That's very, very important, but after that, I am fine all the way.

Q. When I last spoke to you, you talked about hitting the ball from further up the court and serving a little harder. Do you feel you are adding to your game?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I always try and improve, no? I am very young. I just try to look forward. That's very important for me, and I am trying to play a little more aggressive, especially on this court.
Last week I was feeling very well and I can play a little bit more aggressive with the serve, with the forehand especially. So that's it. No, I always try improve, but the reason sometimes you feel better, you feel worse some weeks.

Q. In other sports they talk about momentum can help you. Coming off the win at Indian Wells, can momentum carry into this week, as well?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I'm going to try my best here. Every week is different. For sure is important winning in Indian Wells for play with a little bit more crowd. Arrive into the season without the same pression, so right now is important for me have a good result here or try to have a good result here.
It's important because I am coming with confidence. That's the most important thing to going and play very well.

Q. You had the fantastic match with Roger here. Was it two years ago when you --
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, two.

Q. You were up in the final set?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I was winning two sets to Love, and finally he beat me the third set, and after he beat me 6-2, 6-3, or 6-3, 6-3.

Q. What do you remember about your play that day, and how different are you now compared to then?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I have two more years. At that moment I was the No. 25 in the world. Right now I have three years in the No. 2, play more matches, better experience.
For sure I am a better player right now. At that moment I was playing very, very well, but for sure I am better player right now. That's sure.

Q. Are you playing golf these days?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no more golf.

March 23, 2007

Rafael Nadal

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When the tiebreak gets very close to the end, is it difficult to play your game without being too careful?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the thing today, the thing today is the wind. It's very difficult to play on court today, a lot of wind. And the wind change all the time. It's not always in the same way.
So was very, very difficult for me. Well, always difficult in every match in every tournament. I was arriving here with big confidence after playing very good tennis at Indian Wells.
But, well, it was a tough match and he was playing very well. He was defending very well all the time. So important for having for the victory, no?

Q. When it's set point against you in a tiebreak, what is your mentality?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I was thinking I was having a difficult -- well, I have different set point down, I think. The toughest one was when he was serving in the advantage plays with the wind in his favor.
Well, even if in his favor he play the outside serve, so it's always his favorite serve. I was thinking I have a difficult moment if I win the set. But I have a little luck in there. I touch the net. The call was in, and he missed the shot.
After that I played not bad point and good serve. That's it.

Q. Indian Wells, the air is very thin and the ball seems to fly a great deal. Here do you find that the ball stays in the court more easily?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the ball doesn't take the same spin like in Indian Wells. But it's difficult to measure here today because with the wind it was tough. But after I feel better in the second set.
But I was touching very well the ball. I have a lot of problems with the wind. I all the time I don't touch the ball in the place. Well, when I was placed for touch the ball, always the ball go into the place or go into my body, so it was very difficult.

Q. The players' meeting Tuesday was not very simpatico. Since then, in the last three days, have you had a chance to talk with Etienne? Are things going to be better?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I don't have the chance. I don't have any chance.

Q. Do you want to meet with him to try to smooth things out?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, for sure we want to speak with him, no? Because we send him a letter with different points. I don't know, but 70 percent of the players are agree with that, and a lot of top players do, too. So yeah, we need to speak with him.

Q. Will it distract you in your tennis if you try to meet with him during the tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, for sure not. I am focused on the tournament, and if I -- for example, tomorrow day off, so it's not a problem to speak with him.

March 27, 2007

Rafael Nadal

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I would like to know if you are happy with your game from the beginning of the tournament.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I was arriving here with very good confidence, playing my best tennis from Indian Wells, and today the first match was difficult.
I won the second match. Today, I played very, very good today, especially in the first set. So I am very happy for the victory and for play good tennis today.

Q. What do you think about the performance of Cañas? Will you be able to beat him two times in a row like you did last year?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, big surprise for everybody, I think. But he was playing very well, all the time believing in the victory, so that's very important.
I don't see the match all the time, but Federer had a big chance in the third with break up and two or three balls for second break. So after that the match change a little bit, was close, so anything can happen after, no?

Q. About the Davis Cup, you didn't seem to have an injury today, so why did you choose to withdraw from the Davis Cup?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, for me is the -- it's better if I answer that question in Espanol. I'm very disappointed about not being able to play Davis Cup. Obviously I feel like I'm playing really well, especially in this last month I'm playing my best tennis.
I have been playing with some pain in my foot. Although I've been playing very well, I'm playing with some pain in my foot. I practiced in Mallorca a week before Dubai. I had a small injury in my foot and I've been playing with some pain since then.
Two years ago I was injured in Madrid for four months, and like this I am feeling a little bit of pain all the time from one month ago. So while I am trying to finish these two tournaments in Miami and come back to Spain and have some rest for my foot.
I have to rest right now because I feel pain. I was disappointed for can't play Davis Cup, but I was speaking with the captain, and if I don't feel 100 percent he and me prefer to not be in the team because they must have a lot of good players. And if they feel better than me, so they can win without me, no?
So it's not the same playing for your country than for myself. For sure play Davis Cup is very special feelings. I can't have the same feelings like Davis Cup in no one tournament, no one singles tournament. So it's not easy to not play the Davis Cup.
But I was always with the team in every confrontation, every year, every match. So this time is the first time when I can't go to Davis Cup so I will support my team from Mallorca, no? So I hope they win and try to go to the semifinals.

Q. Can you talk about Juan Martin? What did you think about him? Do you know his game?
RAFAEL NADAL: I know him from a very long time ago. He is a very young player. He has very good two wins against Baghdatis and Youzhny so he is playing very well. He has a very good future for sure.
He's very tall. He can serve a little bit better. That's it, he going to be one of the best.

Q. And one word about the set point in the first?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it was nice pass and short, a little bit difficult for me.