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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2009

Rafael Nadal

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

R. NADAL/C. Rochus
6-0, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you have asked for a better start? You seemed to hit your form very quickly today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, well, I played well, especially the serve and the forehand. Well, I play always good concentration all the time. Serving very well, I think. And with the forehand, moving very good the ball around the court.
No, I feeled well.

Q. Is it good to have a match that's over so quickly in the first round?
RAFAEL NADAL: The good thing is win. If is like this, better. So happy for the good start this year in the Australian Open. Happy about my performance today, sure.

Q. Would you say the more improvement you have made is on your serve?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, you know, sometimes good, sometimes a little bit worse. Today good. Today very well. Important things is try to serve like this when the pression moments are there. So that's the things I have to continuing work.
For something, you start to serve well when the score is favorable. Sure, I am happy today about my serve. I have to continuing work. I worked for lot of time for improve my serve.
I think I am always improving a little bit more. I have to continue.

Q. It was so easy. Did you not feel sorry for him?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, you know, the sport is like this. Today I played well. Maybe he didn't play one of his best matches. But the tennis is always difficult because if you are not playing all the time a hundred percent, anyway, if the score today was 6-0, 6-2, 6-2. If I had some mistakes in some moments, he can come close back to me and anything can happen.

Q. Is that dangerous if you lose concentration if it's that easy?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I think the dangerous thing is if you are not playing with good concentration all the time. You are playing a Grand Slam. Is impossible not be concentrate all the time, no?

Q. I think he will look for another job.
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think so, no?

Q. He told us just now.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he is joking, for sure, no? He is a good player and he gonna to play well in the tournament.

Q. I notice you didn't have a sleeveless shirt on today. Are you sort of getting a bit older?
RAFAEL NADAL: You like it or the prefer the other one (smiling)?

Q. I wouldn't go sleeveless myself. What do you think?
RAFAEL NADAL: I feeled well, no? I feel good. Well, in this moment we gonna play like this. You never know in the future. But right now I am fine like this.

Q. Anything cause the change? Was there any reason to change it up?
RAFAEL NADAL: For change. I don't know.

Q. With Roger and Novak winning well, was it important for you also to send a message to them?
RAFAEL NADAL: That's think too much, no? I am no thinking nothing about this, no? I just think about try to play well myself. Well, Roger and Novak and Murray, they are far. They are far in the draw, no? I just can play with them in semifinals or finals, no? I have to think about next match right now.

Q. Those straps are protection only in the knees?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. I play like this for all the time, for long time right now.

Q. It's protection?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. I feeling good right now like this.

End of FastScripts

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