FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Rafael Nadal likes to talk tennis any chance he gets, but if his career sport isn’t an option, then there’s always golf.

Between the first and second round of the US Open, the 22 year-old took in a round on the links at nearby Deepdale.

“I played golf on Tuesday afternoon,” Nadal said. “In Deepdale close to here. Very nice course. The people were very nice with me there, so invite me and everything. Just thanks very much for everything.

Golf can wait, though, because Nadal has been tearing up the courts over the past few months. Originally considered just a clay court specialist, the Spaniard isn’t just winning on the soft stuff, but everywhere else.

First he won his fourth straight French Open title back in May. Although that was no surprise, he battled Roger Federer a month later at Wimbledon for his first non-clay Grand Slam. What’s more surprising was his play afterwards in Toronto and then in Beijing showing he can take on the hard courts as well.

“I did very well the last few months,” he said, “not yet here in New York.”

Winning the US Open is the Spaniard’s goal. Coming in as the No. 1 seed, Nadal knows this could be his best chance to break through in Queens, and securing his ranking as the world’s best player.

The first two rounds were pretty easy for Nadal with him ousting American Ryler DeHeart in straight sets 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. Although DeHeart made it somewhat of a game in the third set, the match was over pretty much from the first serve.

“I starting touching the ball with the forehand having a lot of winners,” said Nadal. “So, well, he started a little bit nervous. He had mistakes in the beginning. I did well. I did well. Later when he starts playing better [it’s] always the same. When you are winning almost easier later when he starts playing better you feel a little bit — with a little bit more doubts, no?”

Actually, there was no doubt in this match. Nadal won 86 points to 54, only 11 unforced errors to DeHeart’s 26 and a first serve percentage of 70.

It was just another night in the office.

It’s not going to be this easy for the rest or the tournament as Nadal takes on Serbian Viktor Troicki - who upset the No. 25 seed Phillip Kohlschreiber- on Saturday.

And of course he will have probably will have to face Roger Federer, now the No. 2 seed, if he plans on winning the Open and staying at No. 1.

“This week I am the No. 1,” Nadal said. “I don’t know in three weeks what number I going to be, no? So some days ago I was No. 2; this week I’m the No. 1. But if you can say me right now you are the best player of the world, you never know, no? Depends of the week.”