Rafa wins 6-1, 6-3

Rafa on court interview in Spanish

Video Courtesy of: gandaines

Good afternoon, Rafa, congratulations

Rafa: Hi good afternoon, thank you very much

We said Rafa that perhaps this is the time you've won easier to Kohlschreiber, or as Berasategui has said , the result is deceptive?

Rafa : Kohlschreiber is always a very difficult opponent, the truth is that I started the match, ......bufff, in the locker room I've been quite worried, because I have a blister here in my hand ,that it makes me difficult to hit with the forehand , but well, I have hereunto a bulky bandage but the thing has worked more or less well, and the result against Kohlschreiber 6-1 6-3, is always a deceptive result, Kohlschreiber is a great player on all surfaces, but on clay, I think bit more and I think that today Kohlschreiber has rushed a little, he has committed more errors than usual for wanting to force more of the necessary and I've taken advantage of that and I think I made a serious match and it has given me the win and very happy therefore

Congratulations Rafa, you have started today with a firm step ....

Rafa: Many thanks

... .. to defend this title and after coming from MC with the confidence that you come from, you're with options to go deep (in the tourney) again, knowing that it has to take match by match

Rafa: Well, we'll see, the truth is I've had these past few days just a bit of trouble here with the blister in the hand, the truth is I have not practised well as I did in MC, but the truth is that fortunately Today was the day that I touched the ball better in the warming up, I made a correct match for me it is an important victory, the truth is that Kolh.... was a rival that worried me a lot and well, we'll see the day to day, tomorrow is another tough match against Hanescu and I must try to keep playing well and trying to win tomorrow and we'll see

Rafa, the third and last question is going to make you by a man, a friend, a fellow coach who is very "culé" (a fanatic of Barça) and he is eager to see the Barça - Inter like you, it makes you the question, Francis Roig

Rafa: What's up?

I wanted to know, we always talk that on TV, the matches, sometimes, deceive a little, I wonder how you've felt really on court and if you have the feeling of having played well and also, if at any time of the second set you have seen that the match could have been complicated a little bit

Rafa: Yes, ehhh, the feeling,....... on TV sometimes deceives, since it can not be to determine finally whether you play well or badly because it is not valued where the balls go, I think the court here (the ball) jumps a lot, any ball that jumps one meter over the net, although it jumps near to the service's lines, can be good, the ball is going up very high and I think it costs a lot to Kohlschreiber... , especially when I hit to his backhand. The second set, of course that it could complicate me, I had a bp against in the 3-2, he has committed an important unforced backhand error and well, I took the advantage, after, I saw that if I managed to play him a few balls in a row high on the backhand, it let me to shoot the ball to the forehand,.......... but well, I think that neither very good nor a bad feeling,, I think much better than I was training, so happy because to start the tournament winning a not easy rival how Kohlschreiber is, it is very good news and apart, without suffering more than usual

Well Rafa, thank you very much and I guess you want that Barça wins today, right?

Rafa: Of course, always with the Spaniards, ... ... .... Thanks

Translation provided by Ines


Last Game...

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2nd Set...6th game

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Rafa's 1st Service

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