1. When did you notice that you were good at tennis?
I didn�t notice it, but I was improving and every time I played much better till I reach here.

2. FIRST OF ALL CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR INCORPORATION AT THE ELITE OF THE WORLD-WIDE TENNIS. HOW DO THE VETERAN TENNIS PLAYERS OF THE ARMADA TREAT YOU: RESPECT, ADMIRATION, FRIENDSHIP...? IS IT TRUE THAT YOU GO OUT WITH CARLOS MOY� AND FERNANDO VICENTE? THANKS
Thanks for the congratulations. At the moment I get on very well with them, the only thing is that they advise me because they are older and you take note of it. No, it isn�t true, but maybe someday...

3. How do you see the grass season? Will you participate in any tournament or will you avoid it like most of the Spaniards?
My plan was to play the entire season, but with the injury I�ll try to be fit for Nottingham and, especially, Wimbledon.

4. Don�t you mind that people speaks of rivalry between you and Gasquet? Anyway, I think you bear the pressure better than he does. Go on!
The rivalry between Gasquet and I is something they have made up. There are many players in the world, not only he and I. About bearing the pressure one never knows.

5. Seles at the age of 16, Selena at the age of 19... How old do you think you have to be to reach your highest level? How many years do you think there are left of �apprentice and maturing�?
I think you never can know it but I�ll try to reach there as quickly as possible.

6. Who is your great idol of current tennis? Would you like to beat him someday or would you prefer not meeting him because of the saying: �idols never die�?
Idol, idol, I haven�t any. I really like Moy� right now. When I beat him I felt sorry for him, but I was very happy for me.

7. Marcos (Getafe)�Do you think tennis is a sport for rich people? I�m saying it because a normal child can�t afford to rent a court and there aren�t any ones at schools.
No, but nowadays everything costs a lot and to start traveling, these things are very expensive. Until you reach a certain level you can�t cover the expenses.

8. Hi, Rafael, which is the tournament you like the most because of the competition? Which is your goal in the world of tennis? Congratulations on your successes, go on champion!
I don�t know. One of the better tournaments I�ve been in is Montecarlo or Wimbledon. Paris should be good, but I�ve never been there. My goal is to reach as high as possible and to stay there.

9. Which surface do you manage better in? And talking about it... Why can�t Spanish tennis players usually get on with fast surfaces? Roberto.
I feel more comfortable on clay because I�ve played there most, but I rather like the fast surface. I think they find it harder because they are used to playing on clay, but there are good tennis players on grass, like Moy�.

10. Who are your favourite players to win Roland Garros this year, both men and women?
As for women I�m not informed, but they�ll be the same thing as it always is: the Williams, Henin or Clijsters. As for men, I�d bet in order on Moy�, Ferrero, Coria and Gaudio.

11. LAST WIMBLEDON YOU DID VERY WELL AS A JUNIOR: WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR IN THE BIG SCENE? GO ON!!
I don�t know. It�s something new for me and I don�t know how things are going to go, but naturally I�m excited.

12. Don�t you think coaches in Spain should train their students harder on surfaces like grass? Do you see yourself qualified to win Wimbledon someday?
I don�t think it�s easy because in Spain we don�t have the infrastructure to do it. About winning Wimbledon, I see it as very difficult, almost impossible, but I�ll always try to do my best.

13. Hi, Rafael, which tennis player do you think has been the best in history: Borg, McEnroe, Connors, Becker, Sampras, Agassi?
I think Sampras is the best because he is the one who has been on top many years and that�s very difficult.

14. What other sports do you like to practice besides tennis?
I really like football, though I like the rest of sports too. But I wouldn�t be a good football player.

15. Do you think Arancha could last a little more before retiring? I�m sure she would have given us many surprises.
I think it depends on how one feels. If she felt to retire... She has been the best Spanish tennis player of all time, and if she isn�t motivated now or she doesn�t see it, the best she can do is retire.

16. Have they told you when you can train again? What tournament would you be ready for? Go on. �lvaro.
From next Monday. I�ll be ready the week before Wimbledon, I hope, at least.

17. Which is the shot you think you should improve? I think it�s the serve. When you improve it, I think you�ll be a number 1. Good luck.
I think so, but all the rest as well.

18. What GRAND SLAM would you like to win?
Whichever.

19. Which has been the most memorable match in the History of Tennis in your view?
I haven�t the faintest idea. Though the one I liked the most was a final in the US Open between Agassi and Sampras, but I don�t remember the year.

20. What tennis player on the circuit do you get along best with?
With Carlos Moy�, because he�s from here and he�s the one I speak with the most.

21. A compatriot of yours from Deia. How were you able to beat Moy�? Best wishes Bibi.
I think he didn�t play too well and I took advantage of it.

22. Who is the best tennis player right now?
I think the player who is number 1 is the best, so at this moment it�s Hewitt. What happens is that it changes very fast and the top five are at a very similar level.

23. What tennis player would you like to beat?
I�d like to beat whoever who is on a good level. Right now, especially Hewitt, but that is almost impossible.

24. What do you think of Feliciano L�pez�s suggestive photos? Do you see yourself as a sex-symbol? Would you do the same?
I don�t think I would do that. And I don�t see myself as a sex-symbol, far from it.

25. Moy� or Costa?
They are both good players, but Moy� is the best right now.

26) What are your goals this year?
My only goal is to continue playing better and better and to finish the highest-ranked possible.

27) How do you feel by breaking the record of the youngster with the highest place on the ATP ranking, which was held by Michael Chang? Which place do you think you�ll reach after the end of the season?
This is a thing I don�t mind. And about the second question, we can never know.

2 In normal physical conditions, what round of Roland Garros do you think you would have been able to reach this year?
We never know. The most normal thing is that I would have fallen in the first round because there were a lot of good players, but we never know.

29) Rafael, how do you feel playing against players who are 10 years older than you with more experience and a better body?
I don�t feel anything special. I try to play my game and that�s all.

30) Which are your methods of concentration before a match? In my case, I�m like Corretja, I have lost my ambition of winning. I only come to play and I don�t mind about winning or losing... Carlos Anguiano.
I do nothing special. I try to warm up in the locker room and nothing else. And I never think of the same.

31) What is it that you like most in tennis?
Competing, no doubt. And the worse, if you lose a tournament and you have to do a long journey to get home.

32) How would you characterize your serve?
Normal.

33) Do you have an idea what happened to world number one Martina Hingis? Why has she disappeared?
I don�t know. I don�t have an idea, but I think it�s because of an injury.

34) Hi Rafa, do you think that one day there will be a player who is able to win on clay only with serve and volley?
That you never know, but it�s very difficult because clay is a very slow surface.

35) Do you think that the Williams sisters will stop winning?
That you never know. But at the moment they are the ones who are very strong and the truth is that they are playing very well.

36) Hi Rafael. You don�t take the risk of being burned out by trying to fulfill immediately these expectations with the so explosive career start you had? Take the things quietly and a greeting, champion!
No, I don�t have the singlest fear to be burned out because of anything.

37) What do you feel when they say to you that you are the young Spanish tennis promise? Aren�t you afraid of disappointing those who trust a lot in you?
Normally, I don�t mind this. Mostly because I don�t think about the people who say things like this. I�m very young and everything could happen.

3 Do you have any habit before you start a match?
I always have a shower before starting.

39) Rafa, do you think that the Spanish tennis is the best of the world?
Ufff. I think Spain is the country that has the largest number of good tennis players in the world.

40) To which tennis player are you similar in the form of playing? I think that your style is a bit similar to Thomas Muster. What is your opinion?
In my opinion that�s not right. I�m not more aggressive than him. I don�t think I�m similar to anybody.

41) It seems Corretja hasn�t gotten his way during this season. Do you think it could be a good moment to retire?
That you can never say. It depends on the wins that he has. It�s a bad year, nothing works for him, but he has to see.

42) From what age did you start to be interested in tennis?
I began to play tennis when I was 4.

43) Are you a fan of a football club?
Yes, I�m a fan of Majorca and Real Madrid.

44) Aren�t you ashamed of being watched by so many people when you are playing?
No, for nothing. If there are people it�s ok, but they don�t affect me.

45) What do you think about Ferrero? Is he the best Spanish tennis player at the moment?
I think that Ferrero and Moya are the two best players at the moment.

46) Do you think that the Spanish female tennis builds only on Arancha and Conchita?
To be honest, I don�t have any idea.

47) Would you change any tennis rule?
I don�t know. We could change it, so that the serve is not so decisive.

4 Why do you think that we can hardly beat the Spanish players on clay, even if there are clubs, that don�t train on this surface?
We feel most comfortable here; it�s where we train most the time.

49) Do you think that the injury you got on the elbow will interrupt the meteoric progress you were having?
I think and hope, especially hope, not.

50) Why do you think that the Spanish were always good at Roland Garros?
Just because it�s clay.

51. Hi Rafa. I�m one of the people in the irc-hispano chat room: #tenis_nacional. We really admire you there. Do you think you�ll be okay for the grass season? What role do you think you�re going to play in grass, seeing you�re a fast court player? Good luck in your recovery! Cheer up!
I think I will be. It�s a difficult surface and I�m not used to play on it, but I will do my best.

52. Do you think you still have to improve physically and grow up more than your 182 cm?
I think a bit more, yes.

53 Do you think that in your family there�s a special gene that makes you stand out at sports and became professionals? Is there any other Nadal who plays/played any sport professionally? Thank you
I don�t think so, although it could be possible. But I think the ones that are able to get there are the ones who have worked very hard. I think it�s just my uncle Miguel �ngel and me.

54. How are you going to prepare yourself to be the #1?
That�s complicated and for the moment I�m going to work as always and then we�ll see.

55. Are you going to play doubles? There aren�t many Spaniards who play good in doubles nowadays�
Yes. I like it a lot, but for now I can�t because I�m still very young and if I get tired just playing singles� I wouldn�t be able to put up with the rhythm of the two competitions.

56. Who would you like to beat in a future Roland Garros or other Grand Slam final?
Anyone who�s in front of me. In a final, there�s no doubt that I�d like to beat anyone, the important thing is the title.

57. Which is the best tennis match you�ve ever seen?
The one I�ve seen I�ve already said it before: Agassi-Sampras at the US Open.

58. What do you think might be your role in Wimbledon if you finally play?
It�s something very difficult and it�s going to be okay, no matter what round I reach. I�ll do my best and that�s it.

59. Hi Rafa, congratulations. I�ve been watching you play lately and I�m surprised about your current level. I understand you�re young and very reserved, but you should make an effort because until now, 80% of the answers have been an �I don�t know� or �you never know�� How would you describe Agassi? What player do you look up to?
Thank you. I think Agassi is a very aggressive player; he always hits the ball no matter where it�s coming from and is very strong. I don�t look up to any player.

60. Why are the Williams sisters hated on the tour?
I have no idea, I�ve already said that I don�t know much about female tennis. But I guess it�s because they might not be very nice.

61. Do you have a special way of preparing for matches (watching videos�)?
I don�t have a special way to prepare for them. I warm up in the dressing room, I take a shower and then I go to the court. I try to get some information about my rival before, but each match is different and you never know.

62. People always talk about referees in soccer, basketball� In general, are there good umpires in tennis?
I don�t think an umpire affects much in tennis. It�s something very easy to do and the linesmen make things easier for them.

63. We, the ones who know about elite tennis, know what it�s like outside the courts of the Super 9 and Grand Slams: glamour, parties, beautiful women, lots of money� How can these things affect a 16-year-old boy? Rafael Nadal, will you be the same as always? I hope those secondary things won�t hurt you, I have never seen such a complete tennis player who�s your age.
They don�t affect me. I won�t change, those are secondary things, what I want to do is play.

64. Are we going to win the Davis Cup again?
I think so.

65. What other youngsters do you think that are going to have a great future in the ATP? Apart from Volandri, Ancic and Gasquet.
There are a lot of people who are going up, but you never know how far they will get. You can stop going up suddenly and there are always new people out there.

66. What is the best advice you�ve been given? I�ll give you mine: You will go very far. Remember where you come from and don�t let success rule you.
Continue working day by day and be always humble.

67. In tennis world, unfortunately like in many others, if you don�t have a sponsor, can you get very far?
If you play well, you will get far, and if you don�t, well nothing. If you have someone who looks for millionaire contracts and publicity, and doesn�t get past the first round, then you don�t move on.

68. Do you think it�s possible that a tennis player would admit his homosexuality like Navratilova and Mauresmo did in female tennis?
(Laughs) I don�t know, but I don�t think so.

69. Do you think the media has valued you sufficiently?
Yes. But I think they�ve made such a boom.

70. What is the minimum age to enter the ATP tour?
When you�re ready to make your debut, you do it. It�s something that depends on the player.

71. Hi Rafa and congratulations on the goals you have achieved for now. Who would you like to beat in a Roland Garros� or other Grand Slam�s final?
I�ve already answered this one before.

72. Hi champion, it�s a pity you couldn�t go to Roland Garros. How would you define yourself? What are your abilities and what are the things that you have to improve?
I have to improve on everything. I think the best shot I have is the forehand.

73. What�s the highest speed you can serve?
Until now, my record�s 195 km/h.

74. What do you feel every time you see yourself in the newspaper or on TV? That must be awesome.
Nothing special, at least that�s what I feel. It�s something you get used to, but I�ve never been interested in it.

75. Hi Rafa, what do you think is the most important thing to do to make it to the elite?
To have the will and desire to play, because you have to work very hard.

76. It�s not a question, but a congratulation, and I�d like to �tell you off� for not coming to Hamburg this weekend� although Spanish was spoken a lot, we would�ve preferred to hear an accent from this side of the ocean. Cheer up, and continue like this.
Thanks a lot.

GOOD-BYE:
Hugs. It�s been a pleasure talking to you.

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