WIMBLEDON
Date: 2008-07-02

WIMBLEDON

July 2, 2008

Rafael Nadal
LONDON, ENGLAND
R. NADAL/A. Murray
6-3, 6-2, 6-4

The Moderator Questions for Rafael Nadal.

Question What part of your game were you particularly happy with today?
Rafael Nadal: Everything. Everything.

Question If that's the case, where did this win rate among your other great wins at Wimbledon? Was it your best performance here?
Rafael Nadal: Sure the second half of the first and the second set especially probably was my best match here.

Question Why is that?
Rafael Nadal: You never know, no? I don't know. You know, today was a special match, play against big player like Andy. And, well, there's a big motivation -- well, for me be in the semifinals is a goal, too.
Just go on the court and play my best. The true, I was playing very well before this match, and I arrive to this match playing with good confidence and tactic.
After the normal beginning, a little bit nervous, I start playing very well, no?

Question How important was it to be aggressive from the very start today? Although you say you were nervous, it was important to impose your game on him.
Rafael Nadal: I played very aggressive all the time, no? When I have little bit time - when I don't have time, too - I try to hit the ball every time close to the lines. Well, is one of my best days here, no?
Because I know if I play slow or something like this, Andy has a big hands and is very difficult beat him, no? So the chance for beat him is try to play him a little bit higher rhythm than him, so that's I was trying always the same.
You know, Andy is a very good player. And if you are not overcome rhythm him, is very difficult to beat him.

Question Was it difficult for you that everybody supported Murray?
Rafael Nadal: I think the crowd was extremely fair, no? Well, sure, all the time supporting Andy, but nothing more than usual, no? So I felt very well on court. Just can say thank you very much, everybody, the crowd.
Every day I go on court, I said the other day, I felt the people were supporting me. And today, sure, the people support Andy a little bit more, but were supporting me, too. Andy have a good comportation (sic) , too, no?
THE INTERPRETER: Behavior.

Question At 5-4 in the third set, the crowd were hoping for the same thing that Murray did to Gasquet. Were you conscious of that?
Rafael Nadal: Every match is different, no? I think about continuing play aggressive, put a good first serve. And, well, before I start the match I thought, Well, he didn't has a breakpoint during all the match, why right now he gonna break me?

Question Do you think you've served better on grass than you did today?
Rafael Nadal: I think against Youzhny I served a little bit better, no? Because in the beginning I had only 59%. Against Youzhny I had more than 70%. Finally I have 62%, I saw here. Is not bad, because I am serving faster.

Question If Rafa Nadal of this year played Rafa Nadal of last year in a match, what would the score be?
Rafael Nadal: I think I gonna win right now (smiling).

Question What's the score?
Rafael Nadal: The score. I don't know the score. Last year I played very good matches, too. Quarterfinals against Berdych was very good. The last three sets against Youzhny in fourth round was very good, too. The final against Roger was very good match.

Question The one thing in your game that's better this year?
Rafael Nadal: I think I am doing a lot of things better than last year. Slice better. The position on court, in my opinion, I felt like this is better. Playing more aggressive with the forehand all the time, and the backhand is feeling well, too, no?

Question You talked about your tactics and your plans when you went into the game, how you would play Andy Murray. Who exactly makes the plans? Is it you or your coach?
Rafael Nadal: I don't know. The coach always says something before the match, no? My coach says, Play your game; don't think too much. You are playing well, so continuing play like the days before and play aggressive.
That's it. That's what he told me before the match. I tried. I did very well today. Sometimes working; sometimes not working. Depends of the moment, no?

Question How do you feel about the inevitable prospect of playing Roger Federer in the final compared with this stage last year?
Rafael Nadal: I am in semifinals. What is the score?

Question One set all.
Rafael Nadal: I gonna have a difficult match against Clément or Schuettler because they are playing well. If they are in semifinals, is because they are playing very well. And, you know, I don't want to think about the final. Not yet.

Question Do you think you have a better chance of winning the tournament than 12 months ago?
Rafael Nadal: Last year was close. Only one more point and probably I have the trophy in my home. Disappointing have another plate.
But, you know, was close last year. I don't know if this year I gonna have more chances for win the title, because last year I play the final and this year I am in semifinals only.
I have to play very well if I want to win this tournament. I am playing well, but I don't know if is enough. I hope.

Question Have you watched last year's final again?
Rafael Nadal: No.

Question Will you watch it before Sunday if you get there?
Rafael Nadal: No. Why?

Question This point you didn't make in last year's final, this break opportunity, chance to pass him, is it still here?
Rafael Nadal: No. I played very good tournaments after the final of last year in Wimbledon, no? I won more tournaments, very important tournaments, after that match. Here is nothing.
But, you know, last year was a very long match.

Question If you made the final, is your family ready to come to England to watch you?
Rafael Nadal: My father and my sister are here. Some friends are here. Probably in semifinals gonna come my uncles, yeah. I didn't spoke with my family yet, but I think in semifinals they gonna come.

Question Based on today, what do you think Andy Murray has to do to make the next step up in his game?
Rafael Nadal: Not much. I think he very well. He gonna be in top positions. Well, he is in top positions already. But he gonna be in the top five. If he continues like this, you know, only the competition and only have more matches on the shoulders gonna give him the confidence for be in top five, I think. He don't gonna have a lot of problems for be top five.

Question Spain have gone to No. 1 in the world football rankings. Do you think we could have a No. 1 in the world for tennis and football?
Rafael Nadal: I think Spain is No. 1 in the world in tennis right now. We don't need win Wimbledon for be the No. 1s. We have No. 2 in the world, No. 5, No. 4 right now. Lot of players in the last years. In the tennis, we are the No. 1s.

Question I mean you.
Rafael Nadal: Don't tell Spain.
I don't know. We gonna see after US Open.

Question You looked amazing. What do you think you must improve in your game?
Rafael Nadal: Well, if I play like today, especially the second set, not a lot of things, no? Only continuing like this.
But the true, the normal level is not the second set. Is a little bit worse. Is disappointing.
You can improve the serve. You can improve everything. The volley. Everything you can improve. If Federer can improve, I can improve a lot.

Question You are a Real Madrid supporter. What do you think of Cristiano Ronaldo going to Real Madrid?
Rafael Nadal: I don't know what can I think. Every day we saw in the press if he's coming. Today he's coming, tomorrow he's not coming. After tomorrow he's coming. We will see in the end.

Question Will it be good?
Rafael Nadal: For every Real Madrid supporter is going to be good if one star like Cristiano Ronaldo comes to Real Madrid.
But I think for Spain is good when a star like Cristiano Ronaldo is in the Spain league, no?