"WE HAVE ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE, BUT RAFA DOESN'T WANT FOOLS AROUND HIM"...
Benito Perez Barbadillo INTERVIEW
If you've ever tried to come closer to Rafa Nadal, know who Benito. he is Rafa's press agent, an expert in answering 'that is impossible' to the thousands of requests for Rafa. The 43 year old from Jerez, is a pioneer in the communication of elite athletes. His Company B1PR also does media promotion for large companies, deluxe products & currently lives in Monte Carlo for the past 16 years.
XL. You are one of the closest on Team Rafa Nadal ...
BP One thing should be clear: Rafa is what it is thanks to Rafa. He is very intelligent.
XL. What does being in charge of communication for Nadal consist of?
BP Carlos Costa, who is in charge of Rafa's representation of his image. I take care of their press issues. Take your agenda and coordinate with media interviews following a strategy set out and discussed with the team.
XL. How does Nadal feel about giving interviews?
BP he knows it's part of the game of his work. Rafa was the first to have a professional press agent: me. It was in 2006 when I left the direction of communication from the ATP to create my own company. This is like everything else, before the players had no physiotherapist and now everyone has one.
XL. Well there must be few experts in communication in the ATP because you have worked at the same time, and for four years, Nadal and Djokovic.
When I took Djokovic on, they weren't competing so directly. I knew - and so did Rafa - that Djokovic was going to make it. It's now impossible for me to handle them both because of the amount of work it would involve.
XL. But is not uncommon for two players fighting for number one with the same head of communications?
BP No. The secrets of one or the other are secret. This is like the secrets kept by bankers.
XL. How is your relationship with Rafa after so long?
BP A personal one of absolute trust, but based on professionalism. Rafa neither wants nor has fools around him, he wants people who work. It's a relationship between friends. If Rafa asks my advice, on anything whatsoever, I give him it. Just as I've asked his, also on personal matters.
XL. Do you tell Rafa what he has to say to the media?
BP Never. Absolutely never. Rafa would never accept this. I give Rafa advice and guide him professional, he listens and makes a decision. If you ask me whether to say something, I give you my opinion, because what you say will have consequences, but never tell him what to say.
XL. Rafa still have a lot of topics and opinions in private interviews.
BP Rafa speaks the way he is. He is a good sincere person. Though, he prefers to avoid topics on which he has his own opinion, but it doesn't make sense to air it in public.
XL. Have you had any serious problem of communication?
BP Often. I say Nadal is like the stock market. H e is secure stock, but his value goes up or down depending on his results on court. If he hadn't won Roland Garros.... Rafa was very much criticized the week before. Not as much as other sportsmen, because Rafa is very secure stock, but...
XL. I do not think has been criticized in Spain.
BP No. It is very difficult to criticize Rafa Nadal. He's a guy who, from whatever aspect you look at him, has only done well. He promotes Spain, promotes the islands, is very good to people, he's achieving things we don't even realize.. Is equivalent to what Becker did in Germany 80's.
XL. Has Rafa ever said something that he regretted?
BP Yes, yes, of course. But I will not repeat it. But sometimes he calls me and says, "I think I said something I shouldn't have." We discussed it and see. Sometimes he adds: "But it left me feeling very good." Well, that's it then, nothing to worry about.
XL. Dealing with Djokovic was very different I imagine..
BP Djokovic image needed much more work. The trend in Spain, for example, was that he was hated: the rival of Nadal, he's Serbian, he imitated Rafa ... We did a media campaign, which he graciously accepted, to change that image. Now Djokovic has a good image in Spain. I have told Djokovic more what he has to do than Rafa, because he's more impulsive.
XL. The bad-boy image works. Many people are bored by the way Federer and Nadal get along so well..
BP This bad boy works ... a while. The problem is overdoing it and Djokovic overdoes it because he is more arrogant.
XL. And more funnier than Rafa.
BP Not really. Rafa can be very funny, but in Spanish. You've never seen Rafa on an American talk show, not on Letterman or Leno...
To go to a program of these have to be quick and clever with language. But you'll see this summer on a talk show. It's time!
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