Q. Were you surprised when he retired? Could you feel on the court that he was injured, so injured, to retire?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I surprised, no. I surprised for maybe because he ‑‑ I saw him. He had some problems in the second, but he's still playing good.

But after, in the third, he begin, and I saw him and he serve a little bit slowly. So in the third point, I surprise because he say stop.

Q. In your last match you said that you felt a little bit tired. Did you feel that way today, or was it better today, no more tired today?

RAFAEL NADAL: If I feel tired? No, I don't feel tired, no, no. Today I was good. But I lost little bit my concentration in the second with his problems, no? Because I don't understand very good that, no, because he has a lot of problems. Every time, when he serve, he puts the hand on back, and after he play normal point. So I don't understand very good, and I lost my concentration a little bit, no?

Q. But he said two times that he felt on the court that you were not so comfortable on the court. He had the impression that you were not so comfortable. Do you feel that way?

RAFAEL NADAL: No. No, no. I feel good. I feel with confidence. I play better and better. And I was playing very good maybe in the first set. In the second, too. But when I had the problem ‑‑ when he had the problem, I lost my concentration. But before that, 6‑4, 3‑0, I playing good, with confidence and improving in my game, no? The worst thing in the game, my game today, I think is the serve. But the rest, good. For me.

Q. This is the first time you are playing with Djokovic. What can you tell about his game? How would you describe this match?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, he's a young player. He's very aggressive. And he is young, no? He can improve. He serve well. He had a very good ‑‑ he has a very good forehand. The backhand is okay, too.

He gonna be a very good player in the future, sure, no? I don't know if this year he gonna finish in the Top 10. I don't know. But in the future, he gonna be there, I think.

Q. Next match, it could be Ljubicic. Could you comment on that player.

RAFAEL NADAL: Or Benneteau.

Q. Yeah. Your feeling on both players.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, will be a tough match in semifinal, sure, no? When any player arrive to semifinal, he's playing good, no, sure, with confidence. Any player gonna be tough. Maybe is a different player. But any player, I need to play good and I need to stay hundred percent concentration for try the victory, no? Every match will be difficult.

Q. You say that Djokovic is a young player. It's same age of yours. Just few months less. What do you think is the difference between you and someone like Djokovic? Is experience? Is physic? Is what?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know. I don't know exactly. But is clay. I think clay, I have little bit more confidence. My game is ‑‑ I think my game adapt better on this surface. And after, I have little bit more experience than him, no? For me, he is the first year, no, first complete year. I saw him last year playing good sometimes. After, he play bad because this year I was thinking he gonna be in the top 15, top 20. But he was beginning very bad the year. I didn't listen him very, very much. I don't know which one is his best result. His best result is here. But before this, I don't listen him a lot.

But he has a very good potential, no? And some players begin before and some players begin a little bit late. But you never know, no?

Q. What is the one or two things in your game that you think you can improve the most?

RAFAEL NADAL: I can improve all. I can improve the technical. I need improve a little bit ‑ not a little bit, a little bit much ‑ my serve. I was serving good, but today I serve little bit more slow, so tomorrow I gonna practice.

After, sure, I can play little bit more aggressive, especially when I have the chance for be the ‑‑ for convert the winner, especially with my forehand, I need improve that, no? Sometimes I play with the statistic, no. I play like this (speaking Spanish.)

Sometimes I need play little bit more aggressive with my forehand and my volley, but I am practicing a lot my volley and my slice. I am improving.

Q. If you say that you think you can improve everything, do you understand that that could be frightening to the other players?

RAFAEL NADAL: I can improve. But they can improve, too, no?

Q. You're back in the semifinals here. Last year everything was new, first time playing Roland Garros. But you're here again. Can you compare the two feelings or the progress to the tournament last year versus this year?

RAFAEL NADAL: Last year and this year is different moments, different situations. Sure, is a different year.

But last year I play with ‑‑ is my first year here. Maybe I remembered. I just have some problems in the match of David Ferrer, but just in the first set, and against Grosjean with the show.

But I won more easy last year, no? I won the first round 6‑2, 7‑6 ‑‑ no ‑‑ 6‑1, 7‑6, 6‑1. 6‑3, 6‑2, 6‑3 with Malisse. With Gasquet, 6‑2, 6‑3, 6‑4. Against Grosjean, I lost one set. Against Ferrer, I have the problems in the (inaudible) because he was playing well. But after, he finish the physical, I remember last year, the day before he play a lot of time against Gaudio.

But this year I have a more difficult matches, no? I play five hours against Mathieu. Against Hewitt, difficult moments. Today, not. And the first two days, not much. But I have more hours this year, no, on court.

Q. Can you compare your level this year versus last year?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no. I don't remember exactly last year. But now I am playing good. Maybe I am arriving in the semifinals with my best level in the last two weeks, no? So that's the most important thing. And I don't want to think if I am playing better this year or last year.

I think this year I am better player, no? But I don't know if I am playing high level this year than last year, no? But I know I am a better player this year.

Q. Djokovic told us he felt he had the match under control till his back problems. Do you agree with that? >

RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, yes (smiling).

I don't know. If he say that, it's okay. I don't need to answer that, no? But he had the problem in the first game or what? Because I don't remember, no. I have break, break, all time up in the score, no?

Q. What do you think about the semifinal of Nalbandian against Federer. Is a favorite in this your match for your side?

RAFAEL NADAL: Who is the No. 1? He is the favorite. But for sure, Nalbandian can beat him, no?

THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions, please.

Q. At least this was a short match.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, it was relatively short, and I'm very pleased. I've been playing well until Djokovic started having trouble. That made me lose my concentration. I didn't really understand what was going on.

But in any case, it's my fault if I lost my concentration. In any case, it's a good thing to have had a short match today.

Q. Would you prefer to play Federer or Nalbandian if you reach the final?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, no, I don't like to say that. We'll see. We'll take one match at a time. I don't want to speculate.

Q. Otherwise, if one of them does win?

RAFAEL NADAL: We'll talk about that next time.

Q. You had a good backhand against Mathieu. Are you sad this is a short match today or is it good to have a short match because you'll feel better physically?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I prefer to win in three sets, obviously. For Djokovic, well, I would have preferred to have won in three sets. The match was going well with 3‑0, 15‑30. But in any case, I think this was good training. What we managed to play, it was a good match.

Well, in any case, this will be positive for the semifinal because I'll manage to rest more.

Q. Whether you play Ljubicic or not, your match against Ljubicic in Madrid, was that one of your best memories in your career?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I've got a lot of good memories, but it's always nice to win at home in Madrid. In this case, it's a very good memory. The public was great.

Yeah, it's a very good memory.

Q. For a long time he was saying that he wasn't feeling very well. He continued to play well. In 15‑30, were you surprised by what happened?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. It surprised me. He was showing that he wasn't feeling very well, but he was signing to his back every time he lost a point.

So after that ‑‑ but anyway, it's my fault. I was losing my concentration at 30‑Love. But he continued to play. Obviously, he was playing. He was serving at 105, so it surprised me in 15‑30 that he retired.

But I suppose he was not feeling well, because you don't retire from a quarterfinals in a Grand Slam unless you're not feeling well.

Q. Sunday is getting close. How are you feeling physically, and what's your state of mind?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's Friday still, so I'm thinking about Friday rather than Sunday. I think that this is my best moment really, as far as the way I'm playing and the way I feel, yeah.

Q. Well, we don't want to guess anything, but Federer‑Nalbandian, what do you think about that match? >

RAFAEL NADAL: Tough. Tough match.

Q. Is it going to be tough? Is it going to be long?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know. But if everything goes normally, I've seen them play, both, and it's going to be a match where Nalbandian is going to have to play his game. I think it's going to be a good match.

But I don't know. It's going to be a tough match but an evenly balanced match, I don't know. I think one will trump the other, but I think it will be a very balanced match.

Federer is having very good results. He's used to being in the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament. But it's going to be a tough match. I wouldn't like to bet on that one.

Q. You said a while ago that 4‑1, 0‑30, or 30‑0, you lost your concentration. That's happened to you before. Is there a special reason for that, or is there an explanation?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I don't know. I'm still playing. It's difficult to answer that question. I'm going to try to do my best. When you lose your service, well, you know, you've got to then refocus on the following game.

Well, this is something that's happened to me a few times, but I hope it won't happen again.

Q. Ljubicic is playing against Benneteau. Are you going to play differently according to who it is of these two you play?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, my tactic is always to play my game. It doesn't matter who's playing. I think, first of all, you've got to say, "I'm going to play well," and then you adjust minor details according to how you're playing. Then you play your game. But we'll see who I play against.

But normally I should play my own game, and if I play well, I can lose or I can win. But that's what I'll try to do.

Q. We see that you're not so happy as you are last year. Is it because you feel you have more responsibility? Are you trying to save energy? Are things getting rather serious? >

RAFAEL NADAL: No. I have spent a lot of time on courts. There have been times during the tournament where I've been very happy. In any case, it's very true it's good that I do not waste too much energy. And as you get older, well, you know that you must not waste too much energy because then that can backfire so you've got to try to control yourself. In any case, it's a good idea to have a little bit of tension.

Well, I don't think I'm under more stress this year than last year.

Q. Which is the greatest surprise for you this year in Roland Garros?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, the way the draw looked, it surprised me that Ferrer is not here. You know, if you look at the draw and you see who's in the semifinal, well, you can see, when you look at the ranking of the players and look at who's in the quarterfinal and who's in the semifinals, really what surprised me is that Ferrer isn't here.

Q. And physically, you feel well?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, yeah, I'm feeling fine. I didn't feel too tired after Hewitt. I'm sure that for Friday I'll be in good shape, yeah. Hasn't been too tiring, and I'm feeling fine. I have no problems. Yeah, I'm feeling fine.

Q. We can see that a lot of players look at the coaches: Ancic, Monfils, all those. This is probably because this is a very tough tournament, and it's also been a very tough season on clay. Don't you think at some point that you're stronger than them, that you have more strength, energy than them?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, I don't think about any of that. I don't feel stronger than anybody else. I'm happy that I've been feeling well and, you know, if they need to call their trainer, well, you know...

One of my goals here was not to get injured, as well as having good results. One of my goals was not to have any injuries. I've been playing a lot of matches, but I've been feeling fine. I'm very happy.

But, you know, it's normal. We play very long matches, and Ancic, with Federer, he was feeling a little dizzy. And with Robredo also vomited on the court. But it's because these matches are very long and if you're not too used to it. For us, who are more used to playing on clay, maybe we resist a little bit more but sometimes we have a difficult time as well. We also feel the pain. It's not always easy to play four, five sets with such high‑intensity matches.

Q. Federer is No. 1, but you have a positive record against him on different surfaces. Do you feel that you're No. 2 or that you're No. 1?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's a strange question. He's No. 1. I'm No. 2. I feel I'm No. 2, which is what I am.

How many points does he have? 7,000. Nobody else in the history of tennis has ever had that. Nobody has had such a high‑ranking No. 1, if you like.

So, yeah, he's No. 1.

Q. (No microphone.)

RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. Maybe Blake will win over me. It doesn't mean he feels like he's a No. 2 if he's No. 7.