Nadal Is Confident But Cautious Approaching Paris

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 15th May 2013

Nadal Is Confident But Cautious Approaching Paris

epa03691218 Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov during their second round match of the Madrid Open tennis tournament at the Caja Magica pavilion in Madrid, central Spain, 07 May 2013. EPA/Alberto Martin |

Rafael Nadal is acutely aware the biggest test of his tennis career is looming with the French Open beginning in just 11 days.

Although the seven times champion couldn’t have dreamed of better preparation with seven finals out of as many events after ending his long enforced break and five titles, he is still taking things very easily.

Nadal bore the countenance of a man concerned as he addressed the world’s media on arrival at the Foro Italico after flying in from Madrid where he won the Mutua Madrid Open on Sunday. Rome is a happy hunting ground for the former world no.1 as seven previous titles at the Internazionale BNL d’Italia prove. But intense practice has always been the Nadal regimen and of late he hasn’t been able to put in as many hours as he would like.

Although the 26 year-old described his comeback so far as “a dream,” Nadal admitted: “I am not practicing a lot. I just practiced for 50 minutes today. A year ago on a day like today I would practice for nearly two hours.

“But it seems like that’s not decisive because I am able to compete well and keep having chances against the best players and keep having chances to win. The important thing is to adapt yourself to the conditions and accept your situations.”

Nadal made no secret of the fact he had yet to recapture his previous levels of form or fitness. The meaning behind his words seemed to suggest that the only true measure for him is seven matches lasting a maximum of five sets that a Grand Slam event throws forth.

“I am still not like I was last year, when I started from the beginning in January and I was able to play for six hours in Australia against the best,” he said. “I played at full intensity for six hours [against Djokovic in the Australian Open final]. I was not ready to do that when I came back and I don’t know if I am ready to do it today.”

Fiercely self-critical, Nadal maintained he had been well below his best in Monte Carlo, where he lost the final to Djokovic, and Barcelona, where he again prevailed. However he felt there were times when he had played “at a very high level” en route to the title in Madrid last week.

He scoffed at the suggestion his aura at Roland Garros gives him a marked advantage against any opponent. “I respect every player,” he said.

“I don’t feel better than the rest. I feel that when I go on the court I can lose or I can win. I take care in every moment in every match. I know when I go on court that anything can happen. For that reason I try to fight for every ball, even if it’s in the first round against X player or a final against a very top player.”