Nadal Hit With And Admires Ellison

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 12th March 2013

Nadal Hit With And Admires Ellison

epa03617293 Rafael Nadal from Spain in action against Ryan Harrison from the USA during the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 09 March 2013. EPA/MICHAEL NELSON |

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Larry Ellison is not only putting his many million into upgrading the facilities at the BNP Paribas Open, but he’s also working hard at establishing relationships with the top players. Last Thursday, he dined with Roger Federer and his agent, Tony Godsick. On Sunday, he hit on his private court with Rafael Nadal.

“Always it’s a really honor,” Nadal said. He’s improving a lot. His backhand improve especially a lot from last year, so that’s great.”

The Spaniard then added with a laugh: “He changed to Babolat racquet, so…”

Nadal, who also plays with a Babolat, appreciates what Oracle CEO Ellison has done for the sport.

The two talked a lot about tennis as well as water sports. Ellison owns a boat that will attempt to win the America’s Cup again in this year, while Nadal likes fishing and swimming .

The tournament’s $70 million Indian Wells Tennis Garden expansion plans were recently approved. The ambitious five-year plan looks to boost attendance from 370,000 to 500,000 fans 484,805 fans.

First up in the order of business is the construction of another stadium, this one an 8,000-seat building, which will be sunk 27 feet sunken into the ground. That stadium should be up and running by 2014.

Another step will be to add an additional 2,000 parking spaces as there currently not enough available for the number of tickets that can be sold if everyone decides to drive in. There will also be major street improvements and another 700 palm trees will be planted.

“For tennis to somebody like Larry who is supporting like this our sport is very important,” Nadal said. “He’s great, one of the most important person of the world. He loves tennis and support one of the best tournaments of the world. I saw all around every day more and more people, more fans. For next year gonna be fantastic stadium. I think gonna be one of the best, best tournaments around the world without any doubt. The players can say thank you for all his support.”

Djokovic Has Some Trouble With The 25 Second Clock

Novak Djokovic may be a fast mover once the ball is in play, but the No. 1 is hardly setting any speed records for getting on with the game after a point. While not as bad as go-slow Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the top seed at the Indian Wells Masters plays in a deliberate manner – and has paid the price recently with warnings as the ATP enforces a 25-second rule between one point and the next.

Djokovic says that it’s not always totally his fault, though he hard expects chair umpires to take his point of view. “I’m not blaming (the ball kids) but several times it took them quite a bit to give me a towel, to understand what I want, dropping the balls. So you’re losing a lot of time there.

“Then I’m stepping on the line and I see that my opponent is not ready. Then when he’s ready, I started bouncing my ball, you know, and then it takes another five, six seconds because I bounce maybe more than my opponents do. That’s where I lose the time. Nothing else, really.”

The top seed admitted that he was taken by surprise before finally winning his opening match against Fabio Fognini 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 after taking the first set in 19 minutes against the Italian. “I tried not to allow myself to relax and take things in some easier fashion than in the beginning of the match because I knew that he can come back. He can make you work, and that’s what happened.

“In a few games near the end of the second set where I could have done the job earlier. I just stopped working with my legs. It happens, you know, as I said, especially in the opening matches where you try to find your game and see where you stand on this court.

“Coming from Dubai, it’s a huge difference in the speed of the court. At least on center court it’s even slower than the outside court where I practiced. Dubai is one of the fastest hard courts.”