WESTERN SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS
July 31, 2008
Rafael Nadal
CINCINNATI, OHIO
R. NADAL/T. Haas
6-4, 7-6
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Was there anything about your performance tonight that made you unhappy?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. Well, probably I didn't play my best match, no, today. I had some mistakes. The movement was so-so, so I have to improve the movements if I want to play better tomorrow, no?
Happy because important thing is win in these moments, no? Very important win matches when you didn't play -- when you don't play your best. It was an important match for the situation.
Q. Looked like your breakpoint conversion went down a little bit. Was that something of a concern, or not?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, because that's happen when you are not feeling 100% well, no? Sometimes your percentage is going a little bit down.
But for the rest, happy, because anyway I was focus all the time, concentrate, and I know how important it was, this match.
I happy be in quarterfinals for second time in my careera here in Cincinnati. Tommy Haas is a very good player, too. He's a very complete player and always difficult playing him.
Q. Roger lost today, which opens the way for you to finally move ahead of him in the rankings. Will that be in the back of your mind the rest of the week?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, right now I know I'm in a good position, no, because Roger have to win everything from here, from Olympics to US Open.
I think if I win tomorrow I going to be No. 1, no? If I win tomorrow, in two weeks I going to be the No. 1. So doesn't matter if I lost in Olympics in first round and Roger win, no? So tomorrow going to be important match.
Q. So what's that like for you to finally be there?
RAFAEL NADAL: The true, I didn't think too much right now. I only think about try to improve my game for tomorrow. I know Lapentti is playing well, so I have to play good if I want to win tomorrow, no?
But right now, I said, I'm happy because I'm in a very good position on the ranking. I'm very in good position in the race, so I want to continuing being in the good position on the race, no?
Not only thinking about the No. 1, no?
Q. How does your uncle Toni influence you both on and off the court?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I spent a lot of time in my life with my uncle, so for sure for that reason the influence of my uncle is important, no?
Q. Is the running forehand a shot that you've been working on? You've had a great forehand, but, I mean, the running aspect of it, is that a new shot that you kind of added to your game?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I think I had this forehand always, no? It's nothing new for sure.
Q. What part of your game is better now than it was a year ago?
RAFAEL NADAL: Normally the serve. Today wasn't. I had two double faults in important moments. I improved the serve, the slice, the backhand, too.
So I improve, in my opinion, the position on the court, so that's what I continuing working always, no?
Q. What do you think of the crowds here in Cincinnati and the fans?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, the crowd always was very nice with me here, no, supporting me all the time. I just can say thanks to the crowd here.
Anyway, when you go to practice and when I'm on the court always supporting me, and that's a very good feeling. So thank you very much.
Q. Can you talk about the difficulty in winning two hard court Masters Series compared to winning the US Open? You know, if you win here it's ten matches in two weeks versus seven at the US Open in the same amount of time.
RAFAEL NADAL: Than win US Open?
Q. Than a Grand Slam.
RAFAEL NADAL: You never know, no? It's depends of the draw and depends of a lot of things. I think it's impossible to compare, no? Both things are very difficult, no, but probably more difficult to win two Masters Series back to back than one Grand Slam.
Because in the Masters Series all the players are here, the best players of the world are here, you play three sets. Always easy to lose if you lose first set or something like this.
So, you know, my opinion, for example, Roger today has a lot of unlucky in the third set. He only lost two games on -- two points on the last set, so that's terrible for the tennis, no?
So that wasn't best of luck today for Roger, and I think in five-set match that doesn't happen, no? So for that reason I think it's a little bit more difficult to win here, because you play against the same players and only three sets.
Q. And no days off between your matches.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, but you play three sets only.
End of FastScripts
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