Jordi Arrese (Barcelona, 57 years old) is one of the great figures of Spanish tennis. Silver medal at the Barcelona 92 Olympic Games, winner of 6 ATP titles and captain of the Spanish Davis Cup team that won the title in 2004, Jordi Arrese attends AS in the decisive week of Roland-Garros, a tournament broadcast entirely by Eurosport .
– How are you seeing Djokovic? What could happen to Musetti?
– I think that nowadays there are no clay court specialists. Musetti is a player who plays with many effects. On serves he gives them an effect that is always throwing you out. You have to give all your strength to the ball that comes with weight and with this Djokovic has always suffered more. Given this, or you anticipate a lot and go to look for the ball before it rises or if you do not suffer. When they give him that effect, if he is not very fast or does not anticipate, it costs him. Against Musetti Djokovic did not serve at the level he normally serves and that on clay against a player like Musetti, Tsitsipas, Thiem or Rafa Nadal, who is the king, because there he suffers. Musetti made two spectacular sets, but then went down in a big way. Djokovic also raised his serve level and started hitting better with his forehand, but he also came with a bit of a downturn.
– How do you see the possible confrontation between Nadal and Djokovic in the semifinals?
– I'm seeing Rafa so well that I think it only depends on him. Djokovic is a phenomenon and he hurts Nadal a lot on the fast track, but on gravel the clear favorite for me is Rafa, who is playing with a spectacular game, with a spectacular physique. The ball is bouncing him a lot, he is hitting him very hard and at times when he is more defensive, he sees that he has to play more aggressive. For me Rafa is the absolute favorite, but things also come upside down, the debate of the best of all time … But Rafa is competitively an animal, he is the best of all and I think he will take it very well. I see that Rafa is playing at a much higher level than the others on clay. “
– Do you think that a possible final with Tsitsipas would be even more difficult than with Djokovic?
– Tsitsipas has one more ground game. You have to see how tired people get. Djokovic, who was winning easy, has already hit a good physical tute. It is always important to see how you face these last games. I think Rafa will have no problems and is superior to the others. If Rafa plays on clay at the right level, I think it depends on him and that is very important. “
– How have you seen Paula Badosa and how do you see her in the future after Roland Garros?
– Paula Badosa is now very relaxed, she has improved a lot on a mental and physical level, everything goes together. I see her happy and that is the most important thing. If you are happy and work at ease, you take a load off your shoulders. Once you have realized that the level is not higher than yours, that can give her positive things and encourage her to continue improving. Paula has the potential to be a great player. You don't have to push yourself, I think it has a lot of possibilities because on clay it is very good. He is capable of anything, he does not have any type of pressure and I think he has tennis and the potential to be able to mess it up.
– What did you think of Federer's withdrawal?
– When I saw the statements he made after the game, it was what I expected. The Federer thing is amazing, it cannot be defined. At almost 40 years old, after a year and a half without competing and two knee surgeries, on clay and having won all his games he has played … I think that's the thing to do. I would not have beaten Berrettini because it is another level and getting used to those very tough levels I think is not ideal for him. If what you have in mind is to do Wimbledon, here you have played three great games, you have gained confidence and the best thing is to return to training, rest and prepare yourself physically to do Wimbledon well.