Before traveling to Paris to play the Rolex Masters, in which he will debut this Wednesday in the second against Feliciano López, Rafa Nadal received a journalist from the Italian newspaper in Manacor Corriere della Sera, to whom he granted an extensive interview in which he spoke about the current situation that inevitably goes through the current situation of COVID-19, sports, its routines, King Emeritus Juan Carlos I and even God. Here we reproduce some of his most interesting answers.
Fear of COVID: “Not for me. I am still quite young, the physicist continues to respond. However, if it infects me, I can infect people at risk. I am worried about my parents, my family. For my community. It is the most difficult moment of our life. So it is time to fight for things much more important than a tennis match. We must cultivate confidence. “
Dealing with the virus: “With Respect. Towards ourselves, towards our loved ones, towards others. And then with responsibility. And logic. People die from the virus; but you can also starve. The blow to the economy was very severe. We need find the balance between health and work, between health and social protection. Safety is paramount, but so are freedom and dignity. “
Tax in Spain: “I am Spanish. And I am happy to be so. Of course, when the tax bill arrives, I am a little less happy. But I was lucky to be born in a country of many virtues, which gave me a good life.”
First memory: “I am a boy and I play with my father. In the hall of the house. A ball, a basketball. Everything except tennis.”
The 'magical' Uncle Toni: “Once on the bench he assured me that if I got into trouble it would make it rain. With 0 to 3 for my opponent it started to rain. When I recovered I told him:” Man, now you can make the sun come back. “
Why Real Madrid and not Barcelona: “My father and the whole family have always been Madrid fans. When my uncle (Miguel Ángel) played for Barça, we obviously cheered for him. But then he returned to Mallorca and we separated: some stayed with Barcelona, others returned to Madrid “.
Federer: “He is one of the best men in the history of sport. He has been my great rival; and this has benefited both of us, and also a little tennis. We have divided a section of our lives. In some things we are alike: we worry for the tranquility, for the family. In others we are different. He is Swiss. I am Latin. We have different personalities, cultures, ways of life … “.
Rituals: “I am not superstitious; otherwise I would change the ritual with each defeat. I am not even a slave to routine: my life is constantly changing, always around; and competing is very different from training. What you call tics are a way of putting my head in order, for me that I am normally very disorderly. They are the way to concentrate and silence the internal voices. To avoid hearing the voice that tells me that I am going to lose, nor the one that, even more dangerous, tells me that I am going to win”.
Lockdown: “It was bad. Especially at the beginning it was difficult: all that time locked up at home, with nothing to do, I'm used to moving all the time …”.
His wife: “We have known each other forever, since we were little. Meri is my point of stability.”
The 2009 crisis: “That year my parents separated, although only for a time. I suffered a lot because of it; because without my family I would not have done anything.”
Overcome injuries: “With a positive mindset. Transforming the fragility of the body into moral strength. Sooner or later things will fall into place. We must equip ourselves to resist. Because there is no other solution than to resist.”
Cry after loss at Wimbledon 2007: “I cried desperately. For an hour and a half. Because sometimes the disappointment is terrible; even if it's just a tennis match. I also cried in pain when, in the Australian Open final with Wawrinka in 2014, I injured my back afterwards. to win the first set. I lost, but I completed the match, because one does not withdraw from a Grand Slam final. “
Talent: “What is talent? Each of us has our own talent. For some, everything is easy; others know how to last longer on the court.”
Retirement: “I will dedicate myself to children. Our Foundation helps children at risk of social exclusion: it provides food, education, sports. Then we have the project 'More than tennis', twenty schools in Spain for children with disabilities. And we work in India to teach English and computers to children. “
King Juan Carlos: “He may have been wrong, but let's always remember what he did for Spain.”
God: “I don't know if I believe and I don't ask myself. For me the important thing is to behave well, to help those in need. I believe in good people. And if God exists, it will be wonderful. I can't imagine the other life.”
Do not throw the racket: “As a child they taught me that it is not done. I am the one who is wrong; not the racket.”