Quietly Confident Nadal Looks to Outwit, Out-box Federer at US Open

Rafael Nadal knows he has Roger Federer's number on hardcourts, beating him two out of three times during their career, including this year in Dubai, but to say so might just jinx it.

"I don't say it, but I play very good tournaments Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami last year," Nadal said.

Last year in the Miami final Federer came back from two sets down to win, and the previous year in Miami Nadal straight-setted the Swiss in their very first meeting in the third round.

After losing to Federer in the Wimbledon final this year, the Spaniard took some time off and was admittedly lax in his training. The results were, in his two events since Wimbledon, a third-round loss to Czech Tomas Berdych at the Masters Series-Canada, and a shock quarterfinal loss to countryman and slumping former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero at the MS-Cincinnati.

"I don't play my best in Toronto and Cincinnati," Nadal said. "Yeah, normal, no? Sure, is not the best, the best part of the year, no? I was playing bad in Toronto, very bad. I improve for Cincinnati. I was playing better in Cincinnati. I practice a lot. I get a little bit more rhythm, and I was playing better, no? I don't play very good the important moments against Ferrero. For that reason I was lose this match."

Despite Federer's win at Wimbledon, Nadal retains a 6-2 career win-loss lead over the Swiss, including four of their six meetings in tournament finals.

Nadal's disappointing U.S. summer hardcourt season was matched by a shocking Federer loss to Andy Murray in Cincinnati, though the Swiss raised the trophy the previous week in Toronto. Both players are eager to resume their rivalry at the US Open where, even if it came down to a boxing match, Nadal thinks he has the edge.

"A boxing match? Yeah, maybe me," said Nadal when asked about a fictitious heavyweight bout with the Swiss. "I am little bit more tougher, no (smiling)?"

Richard Vach, Tennis-X.com senior writer, is reporting live from the US Open this week and can currently be seen on The Tennis Channel's "Tennis Insiders: Super Insiders" episodes, and was recently awarded "Best Hard News" story for 2005 by the United States Tennis Writers Association. You can belittle him at rvach@tennis-x.com.