TENNIS Internazionali BNL d’Italia – An interview with Rafael Nadal.
Q: How do you feel here in Rome? People say that the real Nadal is the one seen in Madrid and not the one of Barcelona or Montecarlo?
RAFAEL NADAL: I always have a great feeling here in Rome since I won the first game in 2005, that final was of the best memories that I have on the tour. And sure, after that I had a good success winning here 7 times, losing 1 final, playing lot of matches here important for my career. It’s a tournament I really like. I practice all yesterday and it’s true the feeling are different than in Madrid, not completely, but different. Today it’s raining and the conditions…I didn’t practice yet and makes the conditions a little bit tougher. I feel happy to be back in Rome. I won in Madrid, is in altitude, so it has been a little more surprising than winning at the sea level. It was my 5th final on clay in Madrid, so 6 participations, nothing crazy since last year. They make the court (non udible), so it’s easier to compare Madrid to another clay tournament. The court in good shape make the game better for the crowd and more normal for the players.
Q: Looking to changes, is there anything different between Madrid and Rome?
RAFAEL NADAL: Coming here playing well and winning is more easy, it’s true that there is a change, you need to hit the ball more here than in Madrid. Nothing really crazy but need to adjust a little bit mentally and talking about the shot when you have to hit the ball.
Q: Are you happy with the level you’re playing now? Are you 100% looking to the Roland Garros?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t want to be 100% ready for the Roland Garros, I want to be ready for Rome. So I am here to try to do well here, and the end Roland Garros is a very important tournament but it’s not the only tournament on the tour and I don’t think about it when I am playing in Rome. I am happy to be here, I play week by week, day by day. After that we can talk of Roland Garros. But now we’re here in an historic tournament, all the best players are here, I want to prove everything of my game as I always did throughout my career, nothing changed.
Q: You won here 9 years ago. How is different this Nadal compared to the young boy of 9 years ago?
RAFAEL NADAL: You can check the video (laugh). I cannot explain about feelings. For something I am not happy to be 9 years later, but on the other hand I am happy with all that happens during these 9 years in my life, in my career. I had the chance to be happy doing what I did. I am talking of result, but happiness, life: I had good 9 nine years of my life, I enjoy a lot of things. I am still here and that’s always make me feel happy because during my career lot of people talk that with my style of game I would have had a short career, but at the end I already have 12 years on tour so 100% this is not a short career.
Q: What is like to defend a big title for the first time? I am thinking about Andy Murray who next month in Wimbledon is going to defend his title. So, for example at the Roland Garros, when you came in the second year after you won your first one?
RAFAEL NADAL: Less difficult than the first. When you’re winning you know you can do it again. Is much more difficult the things for the first time than when you already did because you believe that you can do it again, you were in that situation already and you know what to do. This didn’t mean that winning or defending any title is easy: it’s a very difficult thing.
Q: Saturday in the last game of the Liga – your Real Madrid Is out – but who would you prefer to win, Atletico or Barcelona?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am a sport fan and I want to see a good emotions there, and it’s going to be a very great end of the league, probably the best league in the world (laugh)
