Rafael Nadal Interview - Miami, Mar 24

Rafael Nadal Interview
SONY ERICSSON OPEN - Miami
March 24, 2010

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said after Indian Wells that you were a bit nervous and that you needed to be more aggressive. What did you mean by that?
RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, I was speaking about the match. I said I was nervous in the third set, on the tiebreak of the third set. No, no, no, not I am nervous in general, no.
I say that I had to play more aggressive in that match, because for the rest of the matches I was playing very, very good tennis. I was playing at my best level, so it was bad lose for me there because I was playing really well.
But the semifinals I didn't play like this, like what I did in the first rounds, and I lost. So was bad lose, but the level is still high, no?
So that's important thing. When you are playing like I did all the tournament, the normal thing is be close to win the tournament.

Q. Did you work on anything this week?
RAFAEL NADAL: What?

Q. Did you work on anything this week to get ready for this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, no. You know, I had a little bit problem on the teeth, so I didn't practice for a few days. I started to practice yesterday afternoon. I hoping it be better today and tomorrow.

Q. You said you are sick?
RAFAEL NADAL: I have an inflammation of (Through translation.) Wisdom tooth.

Q. Is that bothering you now?
RAFAEL NADAL: A little bit, yeah.

Q. Did you go to the dentist? Have you seen the dentist?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah.

Q. Did he do anything or not?
RAFAEL NADAL: Not too much. I have to take out all, but not now.

Q. Are you at the point where when you're on the court you're thinking with about the knee? You're just playing all out? You feel it's strong enough, or do you find yourself concerned about...
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I am feeling great. No, you know, I was fast, I was aggressive, I was moving very good in Indian Wells, no? I was very happy how I played. I was playing at my best level during the tournament.

Q. Recently you played a match with Federer and Agassi and Sampras for Haiti. What other causes do you support, and your foundation...
RAFAEL NADAL: My foundation, I have a project now in India, and still working on more projects.
And, sure, for me, the next thing if we can do something with the rest, with another play for Chile, too.

Q. Seems like you've really fallen in love with doubles recently and you're playing well, won the title. I'm wondering, coming back from a knee injury, why are you playing singles and doubles, and especially on hardcourts? Just because you love it?
RAFAEL NADAL: I play because in these tournaments these are very long tournaments, and you have day off almost in -- every match you win you have one day, next day you don't play, and the doubles is like a practice for me.
You know, I don't practice, I play doubles. So I still in competition and you have to play every day, change the situation. But having the day off is easier, and I play with a friend and I enjoy.

Q. Improves your net game too, right?
RAFAEL NADAL: Improves the volley. I improve the aggressive return, so I do a lot of things. Normally in the singles I can't practice, so is important for me do that, too.

Q. What's your plans towards the next round of Davis Cup? Do you think you'll participate?
RAFAEL NADAL: I hope so.

Q. What's your thoughts on this World Cup kind of format, or are you happy with the home and away format that they use now?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know nothing about that yet, so I can't answer this question.

Q. Have you changed your workouts at all because of the knee injuries, or moving forward are you going to?
RAFAEL NADAL: What?

Q. Have you changed your workouts at all because of the knee injury? Or, I mean, are you going to moving forward?
RAFAEL NADAL: (Through translation.) No, I do more specific things for the knee, to protect the knee. But for the rest I -- one of my important points during my career is the physical.
I am feeling -- I have good physical performance normally, so is nothing to change, no? No, no, I am feeling good.
Sure, when you have an injuries is not easy, no? I had the problems for the last eight months. It's not easy, but, you know, when I can play a few weeks, a few months in a row, everything is easier, you know.
That's the important thing right now. I am very happy how I started the season playing, so just continue like this.

Q. Will you ever try to change your game at all, try to be more aggressive, end points earlier? I know you're aggressive. Will you try to be more aggressive eventually?
RAFAEL NADAL: All my career trying to do this, no? But not now for the knees, like everybody saying. Because if I want to be better playing on all the surfaces, especially hard or grass, faster surfaces -- all my career I work harder on that.

Q. Some of the players, like Wilander and McEnroe, were addressing, when they played they had the opportunity not to play full out every match because they knew like the early rounds they were probably gonna win, whereas now it seems like every match you have to play at 100% because anybody can beat you. Do you see that as a reason why there's more injuries, like you've had injuries like a lot of other players, David Nalbandian with the hip, that you can't sit back on any match?
RAFAEL NADAL: Probably is one of the -- yeah, one of the reasons. And for me, next reason is because probably in that moment almost all the tournaments are in hardcourt, so the hardcourt is more aggressive for the ball than the rest of the surfaces, and that's sure.
I say few years ago, but still the same, working more and more in these kind of surfaces, and that's the worst, the worst thing for the body. I am not watching playing football on hardcourt or playing basketball on hardcourt.
So that's the thing; we have to think a little bit more about that.

Q. When did the tooth start bothering you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Two days ago.

Q. Two days ago it started bothering you?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, but I am better.

End of FastScripts