Rafael Nadal Interview - March 23


Posted on March 24, 2007

Rafael Nadal

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When the tiebreak gets very close to the end, is it difficult to play your game without being too careful?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the thing today, the thing today is the wind. It's very difficult to play on court today, a lot of wind. And the wind change all the time. It's not always in the same way.
So was very, very difficult for me. Well, always difficult in every match in every tournament. I was arriving here with big confidence after playing very good tennis at Indian Wells.
But, well, it was a tough match and he was playing very well. He was defending very well all the time. So important for having for the victory, no?

Q. When it's set point against you in a tiebreak, what is your mentality?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I was thinking I was having a difficult -- well, I have different set point down, I think. The toughest one was when he was serving in the advantage plays with the wind in his favor.
Well, even if in his favor he play the outside serve, so it's always his favorite serve. I was thinking I have a difficult moment if I win the set. But I have a little luck in there. I touch the net. The call was in, and he missed the shot.
After that I played not bad point and good serve. That's it.

Q. Indian Wells, the air is very thin and the ball seems to fly a great deal. Here do you find that the ball stays in the court more easily?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the ball doesn't take the same spin like in Indian Wells. But it's difficult to measure here today because with the wind it was tough. But after I feel better in the second set.
But I was touching very well the ball. I have a lot of problems with the wind. I all the time I don't touch the ball in the place. Well, when I was placed for touch the ball, always the ball go into the place or go into my body, so it was very difficult.

Q. The players' meeting Tuesday was not very simpatico. Since then, in the last three days, have you had a chance to talk with Etienne? Are things going to be better?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I don't have the chance. I don't have any chance.

Q. Do you want to meet with him to try to smooth things out?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, for sure we want to speak with him, no? Because we send him a letter with different points. I don't know, but 70 percent of the players are agree with that, and a lot of top players do, too. So yeah, we need to speak with him.

Q. Will it distract you in your tennis if you try to meet with him during the tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, for sure not. I am focused on the tournament, and if I -- for example, tomorrow day off, so it's not a problem to speak with him.

End of FastScripts

Rankings
ATP - Feb 06 WTA - Feb 06
1 Novak Djokovic1 Victoria Azarenka
2 Rafael Nadal2 Petra Kvitova
3 Roger Federer3 Maria Sharapova
4 Andy Murray4 Caroline Wozniacki
5 David Ferrer5 Samantha Stosur
6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga6 Agnieszka Radwanska
7 Tomas Berdych7 Marion Bartoli
8 Mardy Fish8 Vera Zvonareva
9 Janko Tipsarevic9 Na Li
10 Juan Martin Del Potro10 Andrea Petkovic
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