The former world No. 3 Sergi Bruguera will celebrate its 50th anniversary this Saturday. On the occasion, the coach of the Spain Davis Cup team returned to his career as a player and then as a coach in a long interview for the agency. EFE, reported by Mundo Deportivo. He looks back in particular on his two victories at Roland-Garros and on his predictions for the next Davis Cup which will take place in November in Madrid, as the first edition won by Spain in 2019.
Bautista with Nadal this week at the Rafa Nadal Academy
Q. So the two times you won Roland Garros were your best moments as a tennis player?
Yes, every step I took was with the goal of winning Roland Garros and it was the most important moment of my sporting life.
Q. Which one were you most excited about? The first, 1993, or the second, the following year? They say sometimes the second times are more exciting than the first …
No, in my case the first time was definitely the most important. It was very shocking to me. Also, in the final I beat Jim Courier, the world number one and who had won the tournament the previous two years. It was a five-set game and I came back at the end, it was very exciting.At that time, it was unthinkable for me to win two Roland Garros. With one I would have already finished my career. So far, only seven or eight players had won two Roland Garros in history. It was an extraordinary thing. Obviously, today, what Rafa is doing at Roland Garros is incomparable. You can’t talk about both things in the same sentence.
Q. The pandemic came just after the release of the new Davis Cup format and Spain won the first edition, held in Madrid.
Yes, this first edition with the new format went pretty well, but there were things that could be improved. And when there is something new, what it needs is continuity for it to finish running. This break is clearly not good for the Davis Cup.
Q. Will Spain be the favorite to win?
Spain are still a very competitive team and are among the favorites, but obviously that changes a lot whether Rafa Nadal plays or not.
Q. And do you think Nadal will want to play this edition?
He still wants to play for his country. You just have to see how he played and what he did in the 2019 edition. If he can, he will want to play, he is always ready.
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