The victory with a rather clear score (6-0, 6-1) should not be misleading about Rafael Nadal’s current conditions and what he can achieve in the Master 1000 in Madrid. The Spanish champion, in a press conference after his success against Darwin Blanch, first of all expressed nice words towards the very young American born in 2007, underlining with great sincerity: “I’m not very results-oriented, I never have been.
I’ve been realistic about what happens. We have to be honest, I played against a player who has great potential but made a lot of mistakes and gave me a lot of opportunities. Maximum respect for a tennis player who has a great future ahead of him, but in this match he still committed many free throws.”
Few doubts for Rafa ahead of the second round
“I would be surprised to beat Alex De Minaur on Saturday, but it’s not even something that worries me much” is one of the most relevant phrases uttered by the Majorcan in front of the media.
“The only thing I would change would be to be able to play another day here in Madrid on an emotional level. On a personal and sporting level, winning or losing on Saturday does nothing for me. For me other things are more important today, more than a victory it wouldn’t change my career at all.
I’m honest and I don’t aspire to win, we are in a different time. The next race is another opportunity to test myself. It’s an opportunity to play against a great rival who makes things difficult for me, because he is an opponent who gives little away, who makes you play for all the points.
To win this type of match takes time and physical effort in most cases and we will have to see to what extent I will be capable of doing so.” Nadal then recalled and highlighted that, after a year and a half, he is back playing for two weeks in a row: “There haven’t been many matches but I train every day.
It’s also important, on a personal level, to see how my body adapts to the load. On Saturday I will take to the field to have fun and try to compete. We’ll see what happens. I’m not ruling anything out but it’s a battle in which I’m not the favourite,” she admitted.
