ROGERS CUP
Date: 2008-07-24

ROGERS CUP

July 24, 2008

Rafael Nadal
TORONTO, ONTARIO
R. NADAL/I. Andreev
6-2, 7-6

The Moderator Questions, please.

Question Are you happy about your performance tonight?
Rafael Nadal: Yeah, for sure. I play a very good match. 100% better than yesterday. Just very happy for how I play today, no?
For win Andreev I have to play well, no? So I did today, and it's important for me be in this semifinal.

Question The first two sets looked like Federer last night a bit: Easy first set and a tough second one. Were you concerned in the second set about maybe dropping this game?
Rafael Nadal: If I was a little bit?

Question Concerned in the second set.
Rafael Nadal: If I was a little bit worried about the second set because Federer happened the same yesterday?

Question Uh-huh.
Rafael Nadal: Doesn't matter Federer or me, no? I think it's completely different matches. I don't know. I am not looking if David Ferrer (sic) lost the second set or have a tough second set. If I have to look what Federer is do, it's nonsense, something like this, no? Just I am focus on me, no?
I know I going to have tough sets and tough matches, no? So the 7-6 against Andreev is nothing strange, no? It's completely normal.

Question Did you watch the Federer match yesterday? And either way, what was your general impression?
Rafael Nadal: I watch some things, some games, because I was waiting for my match, doubles, no? So, well, in my opinion he had a lot of chances and he had chances for win in two sets.
In the third he has break up, so he had two times, I think. He had a little bit unlucky with some points, and in the end Simon play very well, no?

Question Since your winning match by match, don't think -- and Federer has lost already -- don't you think that he's now chasing you instead of you chasing him like this was before?
Rafael Nadal: I think nobody is chasing everybody, no? Federer and me, we are trying our best in every tournament where we play, no?
So finally, we will see. Right now it's true. The points are closer than ever. But, you know, every day we do our best, no?

Question Don't you think that since Yannick Noah left and since Djokovic earlier said that he finished with mimicking everyone on the court, that some entertaining is just get out of the tennis, of the game? It's just became just fine job, no more entertaining?
Rafael Nadal: I think this is not a show, no? I think this is a sport. Everyone can do what they want. My opinion, the show or the star is the tennis. It's not the imitation of no one.
So I think if the people wants to watch tennis, it's because the tennis is world sport and they want to watch the tennis, no, the matches, not the imitation.

Question I know we're asking a lot about the Federer match, but the result had a big impact. Do you see it as significant that he lost so early, or do you think it's something that shouldn't be paid that much attention to?
Rafael Nadal: You guys, I think you really don't know how tough is play Miami, Davis Cup, Monte-Carlo, Rome, Barcelona, Hamburg, Roland Garros, Halle or Queen's next week after Wimbledon.
So a lot of the matches and a lot of tournaments, well, without a stop. So after Wimbledon, tough match in the final, the body, after one match like this, after one tournament like this, is going a little bit down. For me, too.
I won and I feel that -- I feel that, no? Well, he lost important match I think for him, and maybe he has to be a little bit worse than me. So you don't know how tough is be another time 100% in one week, one week and a half.
Because you have to be here, and Federer yesterday plays against Simon. Simon came here winning the last tournament the week before. It's a very tough match for be the first match after being long time without playing on hard and with only some days of practice, no?

Question That's why we're asking you, because you know how tough it is.
Rafael Nadal: For that reason I answer you. (Laughter).

Question Are you surprised that Andreev played as well as he did after he turned his ankle in the first set?
Rafael Nadal: No. No Andreev is a very good player. I didn't surprise nothing of him.

Question Could you tell that he was in pain or anything?
Rafael Nadal: I think he was fine. You know, sometimes have a little bit bad movement in the ankle, but later feels good. If you twist the ankle more it's very difficult to continuing playing.
But I have sometimes a little bit twist and later you can play normal, no? So finally I am very happy for him, because it's tough to have an injury in this part of season. You have Olympics and Cincinnati and US Open, so a lot of important things.

Question How is your golf game and what is your handicap right now?
Rafael Nadal: 11. So my golf game depends of the day, but not very good.

Question What are your plans before the US Open?
Rafael Nadal: The normal thing: Play here and Cincinnati and Olympics, play the US Open. So that's the plan, but you never know, no?

Question Can you talk about your next match a little bit? Gasquet won the first set.
Rafael Nadal: Both players are very good players. David Ferrer is a No. 4 or 5 in the world, and Gasquet is a very good player. This year he's not playing his best, but in the last weeks he's playing much better than before.
Both players are very tough. Just I have to play my best tennis if I want to win tomorrow, no?