WIMBLEDON
Date: 2007-07-04

WIMBLEDON

July 4, 2007

Rafael Nadal
LONDON, ENGLAND
The Moderator Rafael Nadal. Questions, please.

Question How does it feel to finish the marathon?
RAFAEL NADAL: Very happy. Very happy of the victory. Very happy about finish the match. That's the most important thing today.

Question Typical worst conditions at Wimbledon.
RAFAEL NADAL: Never like this. I was here for maybe five years. I didn't remember something like this.
The toughest match maybe my career.

Question How tough was it to deal with?
RAFAEL NADAL: Unbelievable, no? Because the stops always was tougher for me than for him because I was winning. Well, I stop with 7-All in the tiebreak. Worst possible. I stop when I was beating him, playing well, set and break.
Yeah, in the third I stop another time with 2-0, 30-All. That's always very, very difficult moment for me, no? The last stop was not the worst for me, with the 4-All. Well, I have all the game for play with my serve.
For the other stops, you know, the other can play without much pression because I serve every time the first point. That's very tough for me.

Question Final match points were nail-biting moments. How was your confidence before you won 7-5?
RAFAEL NADAL: I went to the court, and when I'm going to the court today I know I can lose, I can win, and I accept that. Just try to be there with the best attitude, try my best. I know anything can happen.

Question You had a match point on Monday. You went to sleep on Monday night knowing you had a match point. You went to sleep last night knowing you had a match point. Was that a very difficult thing to do, having to come back another day and play?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, it's tough. It's difficult because the match point was out like this. I was playing fine the point. Yeah, I just forgot that, think about continuing playing.
Yeah, was very, very tough because he was playing better and better. For me was tough because I have to defend the advantage.

Question What did you do in between playing?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I am in the locker room for eight hours, nine hours every day.

Question How do you think Soderling played during the game? How did he conduct himself?
RAFAEL NADAL: Really, the true, maybe worst possible because I was...(speaking in Spanish).
The Moderator I fell like close to the net, and he never even go to the net to say sorry or helping or something.
RAFAEL NADAL: And after, when he's touching the net and the ball go to other place, no one time say to me sorry. When I finish the match, the hand just a like this, just a little bit (looking away). After four days, that's not normal, no?
In the locker room, for the other players, is not the best guy in the locker room.

Question What was it like in the locker room?
RAFAEL NADAL: Nothing, no, nothing.

Question Were you angry when he made fun of you, when he touched his pants and everyone laughed?
RAFAEL NADAL: For me, I just think about the victory and about the match. I can't and I don't want to be involved in something like this, no? I don't think about that.
The true is, is not nice, not for him. But everyone have whatever you want. In the end, we will see what's happening in the end of the life, no?

Question Yesterday they put you on second. You never really got going. Did that upset you, that you did not go on first yesterday to finish the match?
RAFAEL NADAL: I understand because the day before, for all the day, I was playing the match. I understand the organization in this time because they put one match later.
But after I didn't understand some things, no? I didn't understand why we didn't play on Sunday. The weather was okay, so much better than yesterday, Monday and today, too.
I didn't understand why they cancel yesterday when at 8:10 the sunshine is here for one hour so we can play one hour. I didn't understand when we are going to the court for play 15 minutes and they know because they have the meteo.
That's very tough for the players, no? They don't think very much about the players here maybe.

Question Your next opponent is Mikhail Youzhny. Are you ready to start a new marathon?
RAFAEL NADAL: Mikhail is a great player. He's having a very good season. Going to be very tough match for me, no? I lost against him two times on hard. Last year in quarterfinals of US Open, this year in Dubai. Last time I beat him in Rome.
Was playing very good match for me. And I know he's very tough match. But I feel confident after this win. But for sure am a little bit tired today because is a lot of tension every day, every hour.
Just try to have the best preparation, little bit practice this afternoon, and after tomorrow try my best. But anything can happen.

Question How damaging is it to your campaign at Wimbledon this experience over the last few days, where Roger Federer had good luck in the way it worked out for him? Do you think you can overcome these problems? Do you feel confident? Despite all the problems you've had, do you think you can come through, or do you think your chances have been damaged by the last few days?
RAFAEL NADAL: My opinion, the chances of the down draw is less than the up draw, no? Anyway, if I am playing or if I win tomorrow, if I lose, for the others is a little bit less because we have to play lot of days in a row.
Well, for the other draw, Roger was playing -- he's having holidays for the last week.

Question Do you still believe you can win?
RAFAEL NADAL: I believe I have tomorrow a difficult match and just try my best tomorrow.

Question How much do you still love Wimbledon with the rain, playing on grass, the waiting? Do you still love the tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: After the tournament, I don't know. Right now a little bit less than when I come (smiling). Anyway, is unbelievable tournament.

Question When you're coming on and off, on and off so frequently, do you have any mental processes you go through to keep yourself sharp when you're coming on?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I try to the (indiscernible) the first times is tough. But when you have five times, that just is a joke, no? Just go on court, I am tired, very tired. Have walk to the locker room, walk to Centre Court every time.

Question As the rain went on and on, the match went on and on, did you ever think, Maybe we should do this on a computer game or throw a coin, some different way to get it finished?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think so.