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Rafael Nadal, the new world number one with an Olympic gold medal in his pocket
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For Rafael Nadal's rivals the bad news is that the Spaniard thinks he can get even better.
The 22-year-old woke up on Monday as the new world number one with an Olympic gold medal in his pocket after Sunday's victory over Fernando Gonzalez in Beijing.
Typically modest, or perhaps using some clever kidology, Nadal insisted on Sunday that Roger Federer was still the best player in the world, but the evidence suggests otherwise.
The level of his play at the Olympic Tennis Centre, as it has been for the past six months, was astounding but the Majorcan powerhouse is still not satisfied.
"For me Federer is still technically the best. He is the best player in the history of tennis," Nadal told reporters after his Olympic triumph.
"If Federer can improve, I can too for sure. I can improve the serve 100 percent, I can improve my volley. I'm happy but it's important to be humble if you want to continue improving.
Nadal had barely stepped down from the podium on Sunday before his thoughts turned to the US Open which starts next Monday. Few would bet against him completing a golden quadruple after his French Open and Wimbledon triumphs.
"I don't have time to celebrate," he said. "I have to focus on New York."
From the moment Nadal won his first ATP Tour match as a 15-year-old, his rise to the top of the sport has been widely predicted, although it has still been astonishing in its speed.
He won 11 of his 12 claycourt tournaments in 2005, including his first slam at the French Open. His career defeats on red dust can be almost counted on one hand.
Some doubted whether his extreme grip and massive topspin game which is made for clay could shine on other surfaces.
Three consecutive Wimbledon finals culminating in his epic defeat of Federer this year combined with titles at the big American hardcourt events put that theory to bed.
The contrast between the raging bull that is Nadal on court and the almost sheepish boy next door still surprises those who do not follow Nadal regularly.
Fellow Spanish athletes and those from other countries described Nadal as the friendliest kid on the block in the Olympic Village.
Nadal said nothing would change now that he was the number one player in the world.
"I have very good people around me so nothing will change," he said. "I was happy at number two, I'm happy to be number one."
All eyes will be on Nadal at Flushing Meadows, a venue that has yet to see the best of him. But he will take it all in his stride.
"There's no different pressure now I'm number one," he said. "It doesn't change. I'll probably be number two in a few months ... you never know."
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(Agencies)
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拉斐爾?納達爾說他其實可以打得更好，這對他的對手們來說可不是什么好消息。
22歲的納達爾周日剛剛在北京奧運會上擊敗費爾南多?岡薩雷斯將金牌收入囊中，本周一又坐上了世界網壇的頭把交椅。
或許是生性謙虛，抑或是聰明的調侃，納達爾在周日的時候還堅稱費德勒仍然是全世界最優秀的網球運動員，而事實卻并非如此。
他在北京奧運網球中心的表現，以及過去半年的成績可以用驚世駭俗來形容，但是這位來自馬略卡島的壯漢對此并不滿意。
納達爾在獲得奧運冠軍后對記者說：“對我來說，費德勒的球技依然是世界上最好的，他是網球史上最優秀的選手。”
“如果費德勒能提高，我肯定也能進步。我能百分之百提高我的發球水平，我也可以增強我的截擊能力。我很開心，但要想不斷進步，保持謙遜是非常重要的。”
納達爾剛走下奧運會領獎臺就開始想下周一即將打響的美國網球公開賽了。在他贏得了法網、溫網、及奧運會三項冠軍之后，幾乎沒有人會懷疑他有能力拿下第四個冠軍頭銜。
他說：“我沒有時間慶祝勝利，我得集中精力準備紐約的比賽。”
從他15歲獲得國際職業網聯巡回賽冠軍開始，人們就料到他日后會成為頂尖的網球選手，只是他的成長速度確實有些驚人。
2005年他在紅土賽場的12場比賽中贏了11場，其中包括他在法網贏得的第一次大滿貫。在紅土球場上，他鮮有失利。
有人曾經懷疑他極端的握拍方式以及強勁有力的上旋球等適合土場作戰的技術是否能在其他賽場上所向無敵。
結果，今年在溫網決賽中連續三次大勝費德勒以及在美國硬土賽場上的接連奪冠讓這些懷疑銷聲匿跡。
納達爾在賽場上像一頭憤怒的公牛，在場下卻是個羞澀的鄰家男孩。這判若兩人的表現讓不太熟悉他的人們有些驚訝。
他的隊友和其它國家的運動員都說納達爾是奧運村里最友善的孩子。
納達爾說，雖然他現在是世界冠軍，但一切還是跟以前一樣。
他說：“我周圍還有很多優秀的選手，所以現在和以前沒什么區別。以前是第二名的時候，我很開心；如今成了世界第一，我一樣開心。”
法拉盛草原公園（譯者注：位于紐約的美網公開賽舉辦地）將會見證納達爾最出色的表現，他將成為這個賽場上倍受矚目的焦點。但他會從容應對這一切。
他說：“作為世界冠軍我沒有感到什么與眾不同的壓力。其實沒有什么區別。沒準幾個月后我又成世界第二了呢。這事兒誰也說不準。”
（實習生吳昭文 英語點津Helen編輯） |
