A few days after turning 35, and on the eve of the beginning of another Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal (3rd) made clear what he thinks about his historic streak in the Parisian dust: “No one is invincible anywhere.”
The Spanish, 13 times French Grand Slam champion, is preparing to defend the title he lifted for the first time in 2005, and for the last time last year: “I only think about training, having a good contact with the track and have good feelings. From there we will see what can be achieved “he said in an interview to AFP.
Top candidate and no rivals? “Me this year I have lost in Monte Carlo and I have lost in Madrid. I hope I don’t lose here at Roland Garros. What is there to do? I’m not going to promote that to my rivals. I have to worry about what I should do so they don’t beat me. I worry about what to do so that they do not win, the others will think the same from the other side. I focus on what I must do to not lose. “
In addition, he depicted his first memories at Roland Garros, differentiating it from other tournaments: “At first I think I played better in Monte Carlo or in Rome than here in Paris, it’s the truth. This is a tournament in which it is more difficult to have good feelings, the court is very big, they are different feelings from another tournament. You want to find those feelings every year that you come back. Of course I felt good, clay is a surface that I know well, where I am comfortable and where I feel safe in some way. Roland Garros is the cathedral of clay, I never had bad feelings, but it is true that I have also had very good feelings in other tournaments on this surface. “
The Spaniard also expressed his opinion on the possible changes in the tennis regulations, and stated that it will not be a matter for the tennis players, but rather believes that it should be the fans and the ATP itself who should make those decisions.
Nadal will face young Australian Alexei Popyrin (62nd) in the first round.
.
