PRESS CONFERENCE OF RAFAEL NADAL Friday, 21st of October, 2005 Q. What a match against Stepanek. Proud? Of course, I'm proud. It was a very, very tough match. I knew before I started that Stepanek is a very uncomfortable opponent that gives you no rhythm. I knew I had to resist and be consistent. It was an incredible match, a very high level, as we like to play, with fast rhythm. I knew it was going to be difficult, but I fought as much as I could until 6-2, when it got complicated. But I'm very happy because now I reached the semifinals of another Masters Series at home. Q. Ginepri, do you have references of him? Well, the references are clear. Champion at New Haven, semifinals in Cincinnati and US Open. Very, very tough match. I'll need to play well. Q. You started the tournament as a doubt, and now you're the only Spaniard. How do you feel? What are your hopes? I'm looking forward to tomorrow's match. I'm very happy. The two first years I played here, I didn't do very well. I'm excited at the idea of playing a good tournament. This is a great indoor tournament. I wish I could reach the final. That would be great. Q. During the tiebreak, what percentage of the victory belongs to the crowd? As a spectator I felt the crowd was great. Yeah, I've been saying this all week. Once I decided to play, I knew I owed the crowd a lot. Every time I got on the court, I felt warmly welcomed. Thanks to their empathy in these very tough matches, where slight details are important. Q. Differences between yesterday? Today the crowd was incredible. Q. The first question is about your knees. The second question, those black elastic bands, what are they? Are they miraculous? Yes, of course, they come from Lourdes and are touched by Lourdes water. Seriously, it's to prevent the impact. It's not miraculous, but it soothes the pain. Q. At 6-2, you suddenly lost four set points. You had two points against you. What did you think? Well, I felt suddenly I was losing the match, when I was one point from winning the match. On his serve, 7-6, I was able to return. He won the following point. Then made a forehand on the line. I was brave. That was the victory of the tiebreak. However, I was a bit unfocused at 6-2. Q. Stepanek was tough. Four matches, four victories. It seems like you know him. Well, every match is different. All of them have been very tough. I've been feeling uncomfortable. This player makes a strange movement in his serve at the end which I cannot control. The truth is, this year I played twice on clay against him. 7-5, 6-3. I told you the other day about that match. Rome, I lost the first set 7-5, then I won 6-1, 6-2, or something like this. Taking into account his performance on clay and how tough matches are what were the results 7-6 7-6 6-3, all those matches have been really difficult. Q. Could you explain to us what difficulties you found? It was a difficult match. Very tense moments. First set we were playing to the limit. I was able to recover in the tiebreak. 5-0, then suddenly it was 6-3, very difficult. Finally I was able to recover. Q. How important was it not to go to three sets? The first set I have two set points down, but I can win these points. So I am very happy because if I lost the first set, the match will be a little bit more tough, no? Q. Can you talk us through the tiebreaker. You were 5-2 up, then two set points down. Can you describe that? Yes. I was playing unbelievable the tiebreak, 5-0 in the tiebreak. 6-2, serve. 6-3, 6-5, and one point more with the serve. I can't win any point. I relaxed a little bit. In the 6-2, he played a good point. After that, he has two set points. That's difficult. But the public is very exciting in this moments, and very important for me, no? Q. He's an unusual player. He sometimes plays up, sometimes back. He mixes it up. Does this make it difficult? Yes, he's very difficult because he play very aggressive, goes to the net. Q. For the tape? He plays in the baseline. He plays very tough, too. It's very difficult. I never have good feelings around him. Q. Do you think your standard has gone up in the three matches here? Yesterday I play very well I think, too. Today I play good because is difficult opponent. But I am happy with my level every match, no? -- All come crashing down, your desperate icon. You've got to gob on, your desperate icon. You'll all come crashing in, your desperate icon You've got to gob on, your desperate icon. Am I a God or am I Jesus? Am I a man or am I a boy? Do I feel love or just possession? Do I feel holy or nothing at all? You can't deny, That your shit just tastes as sweet as mine. And you can't deny, That your shit just tastes as sweet as mine. Sweet Jesus. --

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