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ROGERS CUP

July 23, 2008

Rafael Nadal

TORONTO, ONTARIO

R. NADAL/J. Levine
6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had a rough start today seems like.
THE MODERATOR: (Through translation.)
RAFAEL NADAL: Especially the first games, no? Not easy play the first round never, and especially when I have one week off after Wimbledon. I only have some day for practice, so it's tough start, no?
Important think I can come back and finally I won, so happy for be, well, in third round right now.

Q. He admitted that after the start he started to get nervous. Did you see that on him?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I think he start playing very well, no? Very inside the court and very aggressive play and amazing shots.
Well, after some games I start to feeling a little bit better, no? I start to moving a little bit more him. He can't play the ball with the same, well, not easier than before because I put the ball a little bit more to the sides.
For that reason I think he start to have more mistakes than the beginning, no?

Q. Playing on clay is much more natural for you than playing on hard courts. So when you're playing on hard courts, mentally what do you have to remind yourself to do?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know yet, no? It's the first match, so it's very early for the conclusions and for think what I have to do, no?
Sure, when I play on clay my game is more natural, no, because I play a lot of matches, more matches on clay than hard. My natural game is adapted to clay, but when I play on hard I feel good, no?
Today wasn't my best match obviously, but I didn't feel very bad after the beginning. I know going to be tough tournament, and just hopefully play better tomorrow. If I not playing better I going to have a lot of problems. I have tough opponent in Andreev.

Q. Did you make any adjustments to your focus on different things that have to do?
RAFAEL NADAL: I think not much, no? Because I play this year on clay very aggressive all the time, similar than what I have to do on this surface, no? Not a lot of difference, no?
My goal here is play similar than when I play on clay. When I play on clay this year I play very inside the court, very aggressive, moving, having the control of the point more times than before. So that's what I have to do here.

Q. How bad was the wind today at the beginning?
RAFAEL NADAL: Wind is always there, especially in big center courts the wind is moving. But that's normal for us, I think, no? Nothing new.

Q. That was a very long rain delay. Did you do anything special or interesting to pass the time?
RAFAEL NADAL: I play foosball. I don't know, you know. In Spanish the foosball, billiards, darts. I don't know in English. That's what I did.

Q. Did the delay affect you at all, the waiting?
RAFAEL NADAL: After last year in Wimbledon everything is fine.

Q. Were you surprised at all by how much Spanish support you had in the crowd today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it was a nice support, no? Probably the court wasn't that full. It was a tough day for the rain and for everything, but the people support me a lot here. We just can say thanks to the crowd here.
Well, I have big memories of Canada now. I won my first hard court in Montreal, so it's a nice memories.

Q. In the second set at one point you just seemed to kind of fall down. It was hard to tell what happened.
THE MODERATOR: (From translation.) His coordination.
RAFAEL NADAL: I serve and I didn't found (tapping foot) for put the right foot on the floor, no? I didn't found the place.

Q. What do you have to improve tomorrow against Andreev?
RAFAEL NADAL: A lot of things, no? I don't know exactly, no, but a lot of things. Maybe I going to improve, that's for sure, because I have one match. The first match always is difficult.
I have to move better than today, that's for sure. Later if I move better everything going to be a little bit easier, because I am touching the ball good when I am practicing. The movement is a little bit different here on hard, and adapt a little bit the movement, no, and play a little bit more aggressive with the backhand, that's for sure.
Probably change a little bit more the rhythm. Play some balls with more topspin and other ones flat. That's going to be important. But especially playing with more intensity.

Q. This was Jesse's first match against a top opponent like yourself. Were you impressed with him enough that you feel he may become a top American player?
RAFAEL NADAL: How old is he?

Q. Twenty.
RAFAEL NADAL: He's young, so he can be a very good player. He has facility, good talent for go inside the court and have very good shots. In the beginning he was serving well. He's a good lefty serve, so I think he can play good. Why not, no?

Q. Were you maybe expecting Berdych in the next round? Remembering two years ago here, are you a little bit happy that it's Andreev?
RAFAEL NADAL: That doesn't matter for me. I know both opponents going to be very difficult. Andreev was two years ago, so doesn't matter if it's Andreev or Berdych. I don't know.
I beat Berdych in different surfaces in the last, well, last years, no? So I know Berdych is very tough opponent, but Andreev going to be very tough, too.

Q. Back to his serve, he had a majority of his second serves come to you. Did you make a point of playing him more aggressively on his second serve?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't think so, no? Maybe I have to play a little bit more aggressive for the next matches, no? Today, nothing -- well, I just know how tough going to be the first round. Just try to do everything normal, no? Try to play normal match. Just put the ball inside and trying to find good feelings without doing special things, no?

Q. It seemed his best shot today was the two-handed backhand. Is that something you knew about him going into the match, that maybe that was one of his better shots?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I didn't know him before. I never saw him playing before. When he was inside the court and played aggressive backhand it's very dangerous shot, no?

Q. Do you feel more pressure after your Wimbledon win and now going into the US Open and hard court tournaments?
RAFAEL NADAL: Why more, no? If I feel something different it's less pressure, because anyway if I lost here tomorrow, if I lose in the US Open, well, my season going to be a very good season, no? Winning two Grand Slams already, I have two Masters Series, two more tournaments, so that's very good season for me, no?
Right now just continuing to try to improve my hard court season. After Wimbledon last two years wasn't my best in this part of the season.
But pressure, not. Less than then, I think.

Q. Ever since you were very young you've talked about wanting to win Wimbledon. That was the big dream. Now you've done it. What's the big dream now?
RAFAEL NADAL: Right now is just try to play good tournament here in Toronto, no?

Q. But overall...
RAFAEL NADAL: I understand your question, but I am not thinking too much about -- if you want my answer is be No. 1, not right now. Just I'm focus on continuing playing well. Just I know if I continuing playing like the four last months I going to have my chances for be No. 1 and play a good tournament here and US Open.
So my goal is not be No. 1 or win US Open. My goal is continue playing like I did last months. That's my goal right now, and try and play a very good tournament here in Toronto.

End of FastScripts

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