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I wanted to ask you about Rafael  Nadal and his health and the idea of him trying to grind out maybe five or six, three out of five set matches? He hasn't done that in a slam in a while to win it. Do you think he has the confidence now and his body will hold up for two weeks in the French? And, from what you have seen of him physically?

Navratilova: Absolutely. You know, absolutely. I think that if he is going in healthy, he is not going to get injured...I don't think...playing the French. Even though it is three out of five, it is seven matches over two weeks. This last week, he played what? Four matches in five days? I mean, that is much tougher in a way, mentally and physically, than ...uh... than the three out of five because you get a day off. Most of his matches he is going to win in three straight probably. Maybe four sets. So, you know, I think, physically, he is looking to be as fresh at the end of the tournament as he started out with. If he is good now, he will be fine. I think last year at the French, he had problems going into the tournament. Now, he is good. If the knee is not hurting...usually it doesn't...the clay is more forgiving, I found for my joints. The clay was more forgiving than hard courts. Clay was good and grass was good. It was when I got on the hard courts that the knees started kicking in. So you know, you would have to ask him. But, I would surmise that last year, his knees were battered after the hard court season. He went into the clay already hurt. Now, he seems to be peppy you know, and his body language is amazing. Which, to me, tells me he is completely healthy. He has got no issues. He is not worried about anything. Last year, he was grumpy because he knew that his knees weren't holding up. So if he goes into the French healthy, I don't see him breaking down. And the other guy has to run so much more than Rafa actually, in a way, because the top spin he puts on the ball. People find themselves on parts of the court they didn't know existed because they are running so far behind the baseline heading for his balls from where you don't practice hitting balls from 20 feet behind the baseline, you know. And, so I think after a match...if you ask the players...after a match, who is more beat up. It will be the opponents of Nada rather than Nadal himself. After any particular match, you will find the other guy is going to be more beat up than Nadal because they have to run more than he does. Even though he is doing the retrieving. They are father behind the baseline most of the time.


btw..Congrats to Martina for licking Cancer !!! my all time favy female player is a Rafaholic!