photo:MIQUEL BORRÁ

New Interview with AS.com


“I need continuity to play well and to win”
A.S. WITH NADAL CHAPTER 1. Rafael Nadal already is in Indian Wells, the USA, where this week begins to defend its world-wide number three along with the title that it conquered in Indian Wells 2009. Before traveling, Nadal, that does not play from the month of January, received AS.



How he has passed all this time without competing, six weeks complete since he underwent the breakage of sinew in Australia? One totally is point?

I take to three weeks training to me fort: ever since I had the medical discharge to do it. We have done as a work of preseason with the idea to reclaim the form of season principles, the one that it had when arriving at Australia. I am strong and the knees do not hurt to me. Now only it is to compete. To fish? I have only gone a pair of days, nothing that had much merit. In aim…

(Rafa Nadal has its operations center in its particular residence of Manacor, in the Tower of the Palau, Place of the Governing Ruby, next to the Church of the Mother of God of the Dolores. The Tower of the Palau exists from Century XIV. It belonged to the old kings of Majorca. Nadal trains in its own house, in an ultramodern gymnasium, to the orders of the physical trainer Joan Forcades and the physiotherapist Rafa Maymó).
Mentally, Rafa, it has cleared doubts on the injury that fell down to him in Australia, thinks that it was not more than an accident, thinks that it is in the correct way to return high at the most?

I do not have any doubt that until Australia everything was working well. Yes that was in the correct way. It was playing better than in all the past year. If the idea is to go to the matches with serious options, is clear that I yes had options in all the matches that I played, until Australia. In Doha I was closely together to gain the title, I had two balls of party before Davydenko. But, mainly, it was playing better and with sensations since it had not had year 2009 throughout. And I say a thing to him: it was not easy. From there, already only I can request continuity.
Arrived up to here, it is clear that the situation in the knee, with those incidents, can generate doubts or preoccupations. Later we will speak than it can affect the game to him…

What happens is that I itself considering itself young. I am 23 years old. And in 2010 I will continue being 23 or 24 years old. That is, I have left much ahead. To more long term, I do not know if the problem of the knee is something than must worry to me or no. advanced More will be seen. I do not know it. Now I do not raise it to me.
The logical exposition, sight the sight, would be to roll itself in the USA and to concentrate itself in the season of earth beaten in Europe, where it defends many thousands of points. Plus the recapture of Roland Garros…

Immediate goal, immediate, is to play well in the American season of runway. It already knows that I defend 1,000 points in Indian Wells, like champion 2009. But the main idea is to play well. In order to arrive at the Earth beaten with the sufficient confidence. Without that confidence and continuity, to compete is always more difficult.
The Earth de Montecar it, Barcelona, Rome, Paris… the Earth of Rafa Nadal.

It is not possible to be denied that to be good a weather of earth in Europe is one of the great objectives; considering, in addition, the points that I defend. When it returns to play in Spain, the plan is to reappear in Barcelona, in the Godó. That match always has been one of my great objectives.

(In the attic of its residence of the Governing Place Ruby, in most intimate of its deprived apartments, Rafa Nadal maintains its collection of trophies, something disorderly: the plates of so many Masters Series, the retorts of the glasses of champion of Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Australia… and a showy number of small cars Seat Ibiza, like of modelismo: “They were those that Seat gave when the Godó won; now, as it is the Atlantic Sabadell, there will be no more cars…”)
The idea is to reappear in Spanish earth in the Godó, but, certainly, by terms, could it before have made in the Glass Davis, in eliminatory Spain-Switzerland. It continues maintaining Davis like one of the great objectives in his agenda? Or it will be moved away?

The Glass Davis always has been a great objective for me and it is not possible to be forgotten that in her some have arrived from the most exciting triumphs of my race, like that one eliminatory of Brno before the Czech Republic or my first title, in Seville. In addition, for me it continues being an honor and a pride when salts to play with your companions to defend to your country. But I need to measure the efforts. And…
It advanced…

In this situation, when we formulated the plans of the season, already with the calendar in the hand, saw that the initial rival was Switzerland. Normally, Roger Federer usually does not play that first eliminatory one with Switzerland. It was clear that, without Federer, Spain had good options and good equipment to gain Swiss: with or without me. I feel that there am to measure efforts when is necessary. In this occasion, I thought that he needed to act thus. Nothing else.
What means…

… That following the eliminatory one, in France, will be very hard and, to pass it, we will need to be all to the 100%. And I would like to be.
Before speaking of the seasons of runway and earth, he tried to center the question in another subject: its possible tactical change and in the game brought about by the wearing down and the problems of injuries. It feels that, of some way, it has more problems now to beat to the great pegadores from reverse at two hands, Of the Colt, Djokovic, Soderling, Cilic…? Of Federer I do not speak.

Hmmm, not: it is not thus. It is not at least a tactical mission. See I it more of continuity. You need continuity and confidence to play well and to win.
But the bad results and the problems in second half are evident from 2009 before that list of players who we have mentioned.

I know that, better level and when I have played well, I have won to Of the Colt. Or to Djokovic. With Cilic I have lost, but we only played once. I can win… playing well, clearly. I already say, is not tactical. It is not either question of reverse or reverses. If you have confidence and you have continuity, you have more options to play or and if you play or, you have the more options to win. Desire more started off the one than more preparation is for it. And everything what I say goes in the preparation.
Anyway, I insist, Of the Colt in the U.S. Open and Djokovic in several scenes superiors were Nadal in the second part of season 2009 enough.

Good… those victories of Of the Colt in the U.S. Open and of Djokovic in the Masters de Cincinnati do not count much for a simple reason: I had abdominal the broken one. Additionally, I have myself been facing them, in these last times, the most difficult surfaces for me. I can say once again: continuity is what have come I needing.
The fact is that in Indian Wells, Rafa Nadal begins what a new season can be called. Can be raised a new assault to number one of the world?

Work day to day to be to the 100%. Hard work to go to all the matches knowing that I can compete with guarantees. We will see what happens. The one of number one is going away to be seeing, is going to depend on factors: it is necessary to be very well during long time. It is not now a high-priority objective.