An interview in the German TENNIS-MAGAZIN (English translation)
TennisMagazin 3-2007
“It's not just Federer and Nadal”
Q: Mr. Nadal, will we see the big rivalry between you and Roger Federer again this year?
Rafa: I hope so. It would be good for me, because it would mean I am still the number two player in the world, since Roger and I can only meet in the finals of tournaments. But one cannot forget that there are other players on the tour who would like to prevent this. After all, there are not just Federer and Nadal.
Q: Who do you see as the toughest competition?
Rafa: Tomas Berdych, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray. Richard Gasquet also plays very well. There are so many unbelievably talented players out there. Each has great qualities, each wants to be the best. In addition, there are experienced players such as Andy Roddick and Nicolay Davydenko. It will be an exciting season.
Q: Isn’t Federer unbeatable at this time?
Rafa: Nobody is unbeatable. I have already succeeded in beating him several times. Still: For me he is the best player in the history. I can only congratulate him. He plays unbelievable.
Q: It is noticeable that you two have a good relationship. Isn’t that unusual? John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl hated each other.
Rafa: Roger is a nice guy. Why should I hate him? If we see each other in the locker room, we greet each other. But we are not friends. We live completely different lives, don’t even speak the same language.
Q: But you send text messages and call each other…
Rafa: That’s true. Sometimes we talk on the phone. After the Master’s Cup, when we both had time off, Roger called me twice, because we had certain things to discuss.
Q: You’re making us curious. What was it about?
Rafa (grins): I’m not going to say. But don’t worry, it was nothing personal. Our relationship isn’t that good.
Q: You haven’t been all that successful over the last months. Is Rafael Nadal in a crisis?
Rafa: No. Maybe I haven’t played my best tennis sometimes, but it was not a disaster. The only times things went really bad were last year in Toronto and Cincinnati. But if you have little match practice, sometimes it’s difficult to keep up your level of play.
Q: It seems like you’ve been struggling since Wimbledon. That’s where you reached your last final- against Federer.
Rafa: Back then, I needed a break. I had many matches and I was tired. I hadn’t touched a racquet in a week. And I didn’t want to risk missing parts of the season, like I did in 2005 when I injured my foot. Me personally, I am not really disappointed with my results. It was important for me to stay healthy and to maintain my ranking as number two. I achieved that. At the USO, I lost a good match against Youzhny. I played the Masters Cup for the first time, and made it to the semi final.
Q: Are you looking forward to playing on clay- your favorite surface?
Rafa: I also like other surfaces, but I do play a bit better on clay.
Q: Last season, you broke Vilas’ record and celebrated 60 consecutive wins on clay. What else can we expect from you on this suface?
Rafa: I don’t pay much attention to the record. Sooner or later I will lose and the series will end. I hope it doesn’t happen too soon. Besides: Now that I have the record, it’s not that important anymore. I don’t have to chase it anymore. My goal now is to stay the best clay court player in the world for as long as possible.
Q: Can you do at the French Open what Roger Federer has done at Wimbledon- win four in a row?
Rafa: We will see.
Q: Can you win Wimbledon?
Rafa: That’s one of my biggest goals. Wimbledon is my favorite tournament. Last year I had good chances in the final against Federer. I was serving at 5:4, 30:0 in the second set. In the third set, I had a break chance at 1:1. If I can improve my serve and my volley, it could happen.
Q: Last year during Wimbledon, doping rumors surfaced. How much has that affected you?
Rafa: Not at all. It was totally stupid, completely made up. It is sad when people write something without having real information. The journalist who claimed that I was doping wasn’t even brave enough to put his name under the article. Luckily everything was cleared up after a while.
Q: Does tennis have a doping problem?
Rafa: No. With the constant controls, it’s impossible. I myself was tested 16 in the last year. The controllers go everywhere. They even came to my house. They stood at my door at 9am on Saturday. I was still sleeping. My mom opened the door and then came to wake me up.
Q: Don’t you think that such strict controls are helpful in creating the image of a ‘clean’ sport?
Rafa: It’s okay, no problem. We do have a bad reputation/image. But, to be honest: I don’t think there is doping in tennis.
Q: Can you, besides visits like these, still live a normal life back in Mallorca, or is there more and more craziness about you?
Rafa: Sometimes fans come up and want an autograph, other than that, it’s quiet. People at home are laid-back and reserved. I can go to the movies with friends, to parties, or play golf, just like anybody. In Mancor, my home town, everybody knows everybody anyway.
Q: How should we imagine your life there, if you’re not traveling to tournaments?
Rafa: Usually I get up at 9am and then train until 8pm. Then I drive to Palma to visit my girlfriend Maria Francisca. She is there studying business. Clap I have been with her for 1 ½ years. That’s a record for me.
Q: Has success changed you?
Rafa: No, I’m still the same guy. I still live in the same house with my parents and my sister, still have the same friends. The only thing I can think of: I’m a bit more easygoing.
Q: Your English has gotten better. Are you practicing a lot?
Rafa: No, but I am speaking better because in my job I have to speak a lot of English during press conferences, interviews, at promo events- that’s good practice. I don’t really study, there is no time for that. From time to time I read English books or I watch American movies with Spanish subtitles.
Q: You have filmed a commercial for KIA that is constantly shown on TV. Tell us about the shoot.
Rafa: It was in New York, before the US Open. It was fun, but also very tiring. One day we were shooting for about 10 hours straight. We constantly had to repeat some scenes. But when it was finished, it was a great feeling.
Q: In real life, do you drive as fast as you do in the ad?
Rafa: No, no. Maybe with my father’s yacht I do- there I step on it. I am currently getting my boating license. At one point I want to have my own yacht. I love the ocean, almost as much as tennis.
Originally posted on www.vamosbrigade.com
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