TENNIS Internazionali BNL d’Italia – R. Nadal d. G. Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2. An interview with Rafael Nadal.
Q:With Dimitrov it has been always tough matches, but todays it was easier. What was the difference with the previous games?
RAFAEL NADAL: There are days and another days. Sometimes you have the right feeling, and sometime you don’t. I think I started the match in a perfect way, in the 2nd set he made more mistakes than usual. But, talking about myself, I play a solid match very good with my backhand. I had the feeling both with the backhand and forehand that the balls will be inside….. I feel a lot of times that I have the control of the ball and of the point, more often than in the first two days. Yesterday I played a great match and today was a good confirmation that I play better, that the forehand starts to fly again, the top spins as well. A lot of positive things.
Q:Did it helps your game the clear night, was the condition better than yesterday.
RAFAEL NADAL: It was warmer today, and that made the ball a little bit quicker. The first two matches I played there was a lot of wind, it is true that I prefer daytime normally but the feeling tonight was good, against Simon was very cold, and tonight the felling was different. i am happy the way I play and suffer, and to be in the final here is…. I think I did a good change in my game and my mentality at the right time.
Q:How do you see this final?
RAFAEL NADAL: Djokovic always play unbelievable, he’s a complete player and has all the shots. If I want to have chances to win I have to play my best tennis, be aggressive, it will be a very tough match. That’s the only way, I have to be ready for the competition, for the action.
Q:You play Dimitrov, Djokovic defeated Raonic, and last week Nishikori…can you tell us something about the progress of these young players?
RAFAEL NADAL: It’s normal that the younger player play better. It wasn’t normal what has happened during the last 5 or 6 years, with the same players are winning al the most important tournament. If you see at the history of our sports the young generations always pushing, for me it’s a surprise where we stay here we are that long. Dimitrov, Raonic and Nishikori are very good player and young, not 18 or 19 like Djokovic and me when we started to be there, but it’s true things is changing a little bit. There are no more player of 18 or 19 starting to be in the top, seems that the players arrive to do their best a little bit later. So they are the new generations, they are the one who have to win the most important tournament the next 5 or 6 years, it’s a normal thing, we don’t want to be here forever.
Q:How is important for you to have family and parents close to you like these days in Rome?
RAFAEL NADAL: It’s not important, I live with them. It’s important to have the family close to you always but this week they come here because of the city, not only because of me. But you know what happens in the tournament, especially when you play that late: yesterday I finished my match very late and I went to bed at 3am and wake up at 12 and when I wake up they are walking visiting the city…it’s great to have the support of them but I don’t see them during the all day.
Q:Grigor has been compared to Roger, how similar are they in your perspective?
RAFAEL NADAL: The style is very similar, but the tactics for me is not very different to play both of them, but is true that the way that play are not very very different. I know the way I have to play against Roger during all my career: sometimes I did it, sometimes it has been harder because always you have to play with this kind of player, always you expect…..sometimes he is more aggressive and you don’t play the way you want to, but it’s true that my idea is not very different.
