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WIMBLEDONJuly 6, 2006Rafael NadalWIMBLEDON, ENGLAND THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, Rafael Nadal. If we could take English questions first, please. Q. You held every service game again today. What are the keys, besides obviously you're serving well, that's allowing you to do that? RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Maybe I am serving with confidence maybe. Today I have some bad points, not much, but some ones. But my serve is with confidence. I find a little bit the consistency in my serve because I can serve at 112 miles with confidence. So I am happy, no? I am playing with all shots good, not bad. So the serve is very important for play other shots with more confidence, no? Q. How are you feeling physically? Obviously, Baghdatis played yesterday. You have to play today. How are you feeling to have to play tomorrow? RAFAEL NADAL: No, is important for me play today fast match, no? I play very concentrate. I know that. So I finish fast, no, so that's important for tomorrow, no? Q. What about Jarkko Nieminen, pressed you quite hard in Barcelona two months ago, were you expecting a tougher opponent today? RAFAEL NADAL: No, maybe I play -- I beginning well. Maybe I serve better today than him. He's a tough player always, no? He's a regular players, consistent players. He's having a very good year, no? Q. Do you think Roger is hoping that Marcos beats you in the semifinal? RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I hope. Maybe he hope win Bjorkman, no? Q. You're still learning on grass. Can you believe you're in the semifinals of Wimbledon? RAFAEL NADAL: Can you repeat? I understand, but not...? Q. Is it a surprise, how well you've done here? RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, sure. Yeah, sure. Is a surprise be in the semifinals, no? Is unbelievable tournament for me, to be in semifinals of Wimbledon. I gonna try my best for the next match. Is very important for me. Q. Realistically, how far did you think you would be, how well did you think you could do here? Did you think third round, fourth round? RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, I never have a goal, no? I know my goal is come here and play good tournament. My special goal is after the tournament, when I think about the tournament, say, Yes, I improve a little bit on this surface. So for sure I gonna, after this tournament, I gonna have that. But now is a different tournament, no? Now I think about tomorrow, about the semifinals. My goal is just improve in this tournament. Now maybe, sure, I can achieve that, no? Q. You had to start the week with this terrible insult about drugs. How hard is it being to put that away from your mind? Has that made you angry? RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) He's already spoken about that. He said everything he has to say about it, and it's not going to affect him because he knows he's completely innocent. Q. I was just wondering how difficult that had been, to put it away from his mind. RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) It hasn't been difficult because he's never taken anything in his life, and he never will. Q. Are you starting now to believe that you can actually win this tournament? RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think I am in semifinals, no? I think I play tomorrow the semifinals, no? Q. So you're not thinking -- RAFAEL NADAL: Is new for me. I know when I go to Roland Garros, I can win if I am in semifinals. So now I think -- am thinking about the semifinal, but that's new for me. So we gonna see. Q. You don't think about a final until you've won a semifinal? RAFAEL NADAL: Why? Q. Is that how you operate? You don't think about a final until you've won a semifinal? RAFAEL NADAL: I have a very difficult match tomorrow. Is stupid to think about the final, no? Q. What sort of match do you think it's going to be? From the outside, two young guys, exciting players. What sort of match do you think it will be? RAFAEL NADAL: You never know, no? You never know. The tennis sometimes is strange. Maybe is a tough match for him and for me, I hope. For him, too, I hope. We gonna see. I have a very good motivation, very good illusion of the match tomorrow. Q. Does it excite you to be playing someone who plays in the style of Baghdatis? Is it an exciting prospect? RAFAEL NADAL: For me, is exciting to play in the semifinals of Wimbledon against everybody, no? Q. Does grass still frustrate you at times? Do you feel like you're still learning, or have you figured out how to play on this surface? RAFAEL NADAL: I still learning for sure, no? I just have 20 years old and I need improve and improve always. Sure, I have a good result this year, and that's important for continuing improve, no? For believe always in this tournament and believe I can play good here and I can improve more, no? So is very important for me. Q. Santana was the only Spanish player who won Wimbledon, okay, way back. Do you know him? Have you ever had a chat with him? I mean, did he give you some advice or anything? RAFAEL NADAL: No, I was with him before the match in the locker, after the match in the locker, no? Sure, I have a very good relation with him, no? Q. Did he tell you you can go all the way? RAFAEL NADAL: No. He always give me good luck, he give me, 'C'mon, Rafita.' I have a very good relation with him. That's all. Q. Which part of your game do you think improved the most since the beginning of the tournament? RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe all, no, because I play the first match not very well. Now I playing with more confidence, especially with my serve, sure. With my forehand, I playing more aggressive. With my backhand, I am playing good with my backhand all tournament, no? I am playing regular. But with my forehand, I am especially happy, no, because I am improving, I am coming in a little bit more. So that's very important in this surface. Is very important play with security and aggressive, no? So I am finding that, no? You understand (smiling)? Q. Who do you think will win in the World Cup final, Italy or France? RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. Is 50% everybody, no? Q. Who do you prefer? RAFAEL NADAL: Is okay. Is a nice match. I prefer see a good match, no? Q. What do you think about Jarkko Nieminen as an opponent? How did you find today's game? RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I say before, no? Q. Can you elaborate a little bit, please. RAFAEL NADAL: No, he maybe... (speaking Spanish). (Through translation) He's a player who's had a great year, who's improved a lot this year. Today I think I played a very good match, and it was tough for him to play his game. He saw that it was harder for him to hold serve than me. He had a few chances to break in the first few games of the third set, but he was never leading so it was tough for him to develop his game.
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