AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Date: 2008-01-20

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2008

Rafael Nadal
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA
The Moderator Questions, please.

Question Was it good to get a short match?
Rafael Nadal: Well, is not easy for him, I know. Sometimes when you can't compete a hundred percent, it's difficult to accept, especially when you were in fourth round of a Grand Slam.
For me, it would be a little disappointing, too, because I was playing a great match today. I was feeling my best level here in Australia. And so I very happy about my game. Well, always in these circumstances, no?

Question You looked very good out there. What was really good for you tonight?
Rafael Nadal: Well, I feel more comfortable than last days with the backhand. Important. Very aggressive with the forehand. Serving with good percentage and not very slow. So that's important points, no? And running better, feeling everything better, no, I think.

Question You're friends with Fernando Alonzo, the Formula One driver. Did you have a chance to play tennis with him?
Rafael Nadal: No. We have charity event in Spain, in Madrid, some months ago. We organized something against the malaria. So he was coming. I just say thanks very much to him for come, and the rest of the sports, no? But I didn't play with him.

Question Can it help you that you had such a short match and other players had longer matches later in the tournament?
Rafael Nadal: You never know, no? Sure, physically is better to have short matches. This moment I'm in quarterfinals without losing a set, so that's always very important.
But you never know what's going on in the next round. Have a difficult opponent. Nieminen is a very tough player, fighter, so is going to be an interesting match. I have to continuing play in this way, no? Aggressive, try to hit the ball hard, have the control of the point, like today I think.

Question Do you think your half of the draw is the easier one?
Rafael Nadal: No one is easy, no?

Question Were you surprised or disappointed by tonight's results?
Rafael Nadal: Disappointed? I can't be disappointed, no? I am in quarterfinals. Be top eight players in the first big tournament of the year is very important for me, no?
I say before, no, is disappointing because I was playing great match. And disappointing for Paul-Henri because he have something like this.

Question Did you know there was something wrong with him? Did you know he had an injury before he stopped playing?
Rafael Nadal: No. Before I start, no.

Question But during the match?
Rafael Nadal: Well, he asked for the trainer, so I thought something's happening. You are playing. You are worried about yourself, so just focus on me and you never know what's happening.

Question Do you feel any pain with the knees or something in your body?
Rafael Nadal: I feel perfect. Perfect.

Question You have a day off tomorrow. What are you going to do?
Rafael Nadal: Practice. Practice a little bit in the morning, more than usually because I have last three days not a lot of hours on court. Practice one hours and a half. I don't know, maybe later go to aquarium. I like a lot the fishes, so... You never know.