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U.S. OPEN

August 28, 2010

Rafael Nadal

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You broke through on grass, won in Australia, and very close now to winning here. What do you need to do better, and how confident are you that you'll take that step here?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, very close, no? Seven matches all. Sure, I have to do it better than what I did in Toronto and Cincinnati, that's for sure. I have to improve a little bit everything.
But is always the same answer of this question, no? The thing is play your best tennis in the right moments. So important thing is arrive here, and when start a competition and when you need play your best, play your best.
That's the only way to have any chance to win here. But I would like to go day by day. Now it's Saturday already, so I gonna start Tuesday or Wednesday. Just keep practicing and try to arrive on that day with the right conditions.

Q. Ten years ago people thought that Wimbledon was the fastest surface of all the Grand Slams.
RAFAEL NADAL: Still.

Q. It is still? Is it still faster than here?
RAFAEL NADAL: For sure. No question about that.

Q. How do you prepare for the game as far as mentally and physically before a big tournament? Do you have any sort of secrets, tips, things that you do?
RAFAEL NADAL: Nothing special.

Q. No pregame rituals?
RAFAEL NADAL: For big tournament, the same things that for any tournament, no? Nothing change for me if I'm playing Grand Slam or I'm playing in Bangkok.

Q. Do you get massages every day and then practice three or four times a day? I'm just trying to get an idea of what your schedule is like.
RAFAEL NADAL: My schedule is always the same. I practice two hours fifteen today. That's enough for me. Yesterday I practiced a little bit more. Now I gonna have time with you, and after I gonna do television. That's my day.

Q. What do you think about your first opponent, Gabashvili? What do you think about Russian tennis in whole, maybe last ten years of Russian performances? Maybe do you also have any predictions about Russian tennis future?
RAFAEL NADAL: I can say nothing about the future, because I don't know how is the tennis now in Russia, the young generation. First thing against Gabashvili. I know him very well because we practice in Barcelona. He's very nice guy. Sure, he's good player, no? He did well last week in New Haven. Going to be always difficult. I'm here to play my best and to try to win.

Q. How are you physically and mentally now coming into the Open? Can you compare that to maybe past years coming into New York?
RAFAEL NADAL: The first thing is very important physically. Physically I'm fine. But the second thing, I always, I think, was fine mentally. Just one time I wasn't fine mentally in 2008 when I lost semifinal against Andy. I was too tired to win this tournament.
So most important thing is how I am playing. That's the way, and that's -- we are -- well, that really says if I am ready to have any chance to play the tournament here or not. So I hope be fine. Remain a few days. I practiced a lot this week.
I think if we are talking general, probably arrived a little bit better than other years, but I did two semifinals last two years, so wasn't a bad result. I was there.
We will see what happen this year.

Q. Have you done anything differently between Wimbledon and now in terms of preparation or planning your schedule or anything?
RAFAEL NADAL: You know that after Wimbledon I had to do a treatment on the knees. So I did three weeks, and a little bit more without -- I can do nothing in those moments.
After that I started to practice a little bit late. I arrived to Toronto and Cincinnati so-so. But that's what I did. I did all I can do, because I have to stop three weeks, and after I have to start slowly.
So I think I had a good tournament in Toronto to be the first one. Cincinnati the court was much faster than Toronto and the bounce still low and it wasn't easy. Anyway, I had big chance to be in the semifinals. I lost that opportunity.
That's it. No, I didn't change my preparation.

Q. You've played Roger every Grand Slam except this one. Is it important or mean something to you for you to play him at least once in your career?
RAFAEL NADAL: I will not play against him this year, in this year, because I only can play against him in the final, no? So we play in five years maybe we can play in third round.
No, no, sure, for me play against Roger or not doesn't matter. In this tournament, for me the important thing is play well and try to be in the last rounds. If I am in these last rounds, I gonna have big chance to play against him because he always is here.

Q. You have a great record when you win the first set. Why do you think that is?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. What record I have? What kind of record?

Q. Well, once you win the first set, you rarely lose the match.
RAFAEL NADAL: What?

Q. After you win the first set, you rarely win the match. Maybe once.
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't know that, but now when I win the first set, next match I gonna be very confident. (Laughter.)

Q. How would you describe the state of Roger's game right now? And if you've seen it, what were your thoughts on the video he has on the Internet where he knocks the cup off some guy's head twice?
RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't see that video. Roger is always there. Sometimes, you know, impossible -- I told you in Wimbledon and Roland Garros, is impossible to be at 100% all the time. This is very competitive game. You have to go to the limit all the time, and it's very difficult to be at 100% all your career.
He did something unbelievable the last seven, eight years, so I think he deserve a little bit relax. He gets a little bit tired for a moments, but he's playing well another time, no? He playing the final in Toronto and now winning Cincinnati, so he's ready to win here another time.

Q. You won the other three Grand Slams. What is it about the US Open that is maybe a little bit more difficult for you in particular?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. The beginning everybody says that I have the chance to play well in Wimbledon, and that's because my style. I think probably here is the Grand Slam, Wimbledon another history, but we talk about the Grand Slam the bounce is lower and the ball is softer. The ball don't get that topspin that I like to play with that.
So after a few years I think I am playing better and better in this tournament, but still, the center court difficult to play, no? Is lot of windy always, more wind than the rest of the Grand Slams.
Yeah, sometime when you are against the wind, seems like you are not moving the ball. That's my feeling for a moments. But I did well. When you are in semifinals two years, I don't know. Why not?
I won one time in Australia, too. I always thought gonna be easier for me to play well in Australia than here. But at the same time, I always thought gonna be easier play well here than Wimbledon. So you never know what happened in your career. My dream always was win there in Wimbledon. I did twice. I played two finals, too.
I hope have another chances to play well here and to have the chance to win, but without obsession, no? I am more than happy what I have at home, all the tournaments that I won. Is more than I dreamt five or six years ago, so I happy for that. Now I have the illusion to improve my tennis to play well here, and that's what I am trying all the time.

Q. You said it's not an obsession, but what would it mean to you to add a US Open title? Do you think it might also change the way you're seen by other people, your career, having all four Grand Slams?
RAFAEL NADAL: From my experience, doesn't make any difference, you know. For sure for me personal satisfaction gonna be high if any day I have a chance to win here. But, you know, finally you are playing in Roland Garros, and I was very nervous because I lost it the year before. For me was very important tournament to win another time. I did.
I did another time in Wimbledon, and seems like you did something unbelievable, no? For me was just amazing to come back and win another time both tournaments.
But you go to Toronto and you start suffering another time. (Laughter.) So that's tennis. That's the sport. That's the nice thing of the sport. You win, you lose, and moment is something important. When you finish your career, gonna be something important for me. Already have eight Grand Slams at home or 18 Masters 1000 or Olympics.
But at this moment, when you are playing, you don't think about that, no? So you think about next tournament, next tournament. You don't have a lot of time to think about what you did. So I am sure if I, for example, if I win this year here, I gonna be to playing in Shanghai in a few months, and I gonna be worried for the first round. That's the tennis.

Q. Roger talked this morning about what a good relationship the two of you have, which doesn't always happen between the top two players. Why do you have such a respectful rivalry and good friendship with him?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think because we understand the game. That's the first thing, no? I think Roger and me understand exactly what happen outside the court and what happen inside the court.
So the matches, you win the matches inside the court. You fight all inside the court. But when the match is done, is finished, is another thing, no?
So I think we understand that it's only a game. That's not the more important thing of this life, no?
I think finally this is only a game. Everybody have to know that.

Q. You and Roger are so friendly with one another. Do you think it takes away from the killer instinct if you get too close?
RAFAEL NADAL: What?

Q. You and Roger are friendly toward one another. Do you think it takes away from the killer instinct when you play one another and get too close?
RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) I don't have this problem, no? (Laughter.)

End of FastScripts

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