22/06/2011 22:46 CEST - INTERVISTE

Rafael Nadal (22-06-2011)

Q. You must be very pleased with how you played today.
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, I think I was playing well. I was playing well the first two sets, and especially the beginning of the third. I think I was playing aggressive and with good feelings. But 2 1, 40 Love, I had a few mistakes. And, yeah, he break me back. And after the match was tougher and closer then.

Q. Was that because he started playing better or do you think your level dropped a little bit?
RAFAEL NADAL: I had a few mistakes. Two volleys at that game. So I felt playing very well in that situation, serving much better than the beginning.
No, after that game he started to play more aggressive. He had very good points, very good shots, was dangerous match for me.
In general, I think I did good.

Q. Did you feel any difference in the conditions, playing under the roof?
RAFAEL NADAL: More humid conditions inside. And I don't know if for this change because the atmosphere inside the court with the roof is more humid or because was raining before the match or something.
But seems like the court is a little more slippery than usual, the left part of the opponent's place of the royal box.

Q. The difference with Roger, though, was that you were deemed to be in the ascendancy. If you look on the Wimbledon website today, the most popular story is you being toppled as No. 1 if you don't win this tournament and that you may be a man in decline. Do you feel like a man in decline?
RAFAEL NADAL: Me?

Q. Yes.
RAFAEL NADAL: Maybe. But I won Roland Garros two weeks ago. I don't forget (smiling). Maybe you or the website yes.  After winning Roland Garros, two weeks later is a little bit fast to say I am. You can say that maybe next year, but probably now is a little bit dangerous to say that.
But, no, you know, is my seventh year without be out of the top two. Is a lot of years. Probably I started to be decline, but hopefully not. Maybe they are right. I don't know.

Q. Did it feel slightly odd today to be playing indoors with a roof on when everyone else was playing outdoors in sunshine?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, that's something strange. But they told me they gonna open the roof. But after the last minute, they told me they predicts a shower. Never comes. We gonna close the roofs.
A new experience for me, a good experience. But the tournament is outdoor, is not indoor. And I prefer to play outdoor.

Q. You played Muller a few years ago in the second round and lost. You probably didn't expect to be playing him perhaps in the third round. What is your view of Muller, your memories of that match? How have you changed in your game and your belief in yourself since then?
RAFAEL NADAL: I played six years ago, seven years ago. Was a long time. But he beat me. So that's what happened.
He's a very dangerous player. Very sorry for Milos today, what happened to him. That's terrible for any player. I wish him all the best to recover fast.
You know, Gilles is a very dangerous player. He has a very good serve, good volley. He's especially very dangerous player in this kind of surface. So will be tough match for me. I have to be very focused all the time with my serve and try to convert the small chances that I can have on the return.

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