Rafael Nadal, in action in Madrid. getty
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Staying in the Madrid Masters 1000 after beating the Australian Alex de Miñaur, prudently encouraged Rafael Nadal, who did not want to get excited despite the improvement he recognizes.
Still, the winner of 22 Grand Slam tournaments highlighted that there are two things that keep his motivation to play. “I always keep hope that things will be solved and I am still excited and excited to play tennis.”
“We’re going day by day. Honestly, it’s difficult to think about big things nowadays, but sports life changes quickly and if I’m here I give myself the opportunity for them to happen. It’s a nice day and I will never be able to thank you for the love I feel here. In this difficult time you always have the illusion of living days like this and it is worth it. That it is here at home means a lot,” she noted.
“I’m happy. It’s hard for me to think that I could be in the third round, that It doesn’t change much for me either.but I have lasted more than two hours, for me it is a lot and more in front of these people that is incredible,” insisted the Spaniard, who was cautious, in line with his latest statements.
“Let’s not get carried away by the emotion of a match. I am at least competitive at this level and then it depends on what you want to aspire to. I’ve done things I couldn’t do last week. I have had more problems in training than I thought, but these three days have been better. Let’s see how I recover,” said Nadal, who will play in the third round against the Argentine Pedro Cachín.
“There are things that I still can’t do the way I would like and I have to be a little careful. The priority is that nothing serious happens and the good thing is having the option to explore and see what happens. If the physicist responds, let’s see how tennis responds. The week has not been very good, but I have spent another week on the circuit and in the last two years I have not even been able to do training sessions with people from the circuit and now I am,” he said.
“I have had to play slower balls, although the second set did. I need to play with tactics, so that things don’t happen quickly. I have achieved it and I have more or less been able to carry it out and I have maintained a correct level of tennis for more than two hours and that is positive,” he stressed.
“In the end my perspectives are going to change day by day. I have to be convinced that my physique responds, regain confidence in my physique because a lot of things have happened to me, and then confidence in every sense. The perspective doesn’t help me.” changes, what happens is that I have the opportunity to play another game. I’m going to play three games and that’s positive. “I value the improvement no matter how small.”added Nadal, excited with the public’s response, nothing new for him.
“Of course when you can experience things like that and know that they could be the last, they are exciting, but I have lived very special and beautiful moments here. From the final with Ivan Ljubicic in 2005 until today. It is the end and endings are always emotional, but I have lived unforgettable moments and this is another one,” Nadal recalled.
“The most obvious improvement this week is the service. I can’t do the trick because I haven’t taken out for many months, but I need to start taking out. I can’t train a hundred serves because the muscles have to adapt progressively. I finally got one thing out of my mind. “It’s something I don’t have to think about,” he noted.
“Sport has a fantastic thing, it excites people. Not for me, the other day Real Madrid defend like crazy (against Manchester City), win on penalties and everything is fantastic, but if they lose they say it’s defensive and such. In the tie break it was 6-2, it tied and it hit the net… the excitement and enthusiasm spread to us. In the end I get excited,” he stressed.
“I see Tiger Woods. I see him at Augusta and I’m upset, but there are many things. Mine is a bit the same. You get excited, but the reality is that it’s just a game. My glass of energy and confidence is filling up, but today I am far from aspiring to things. It’s a small step forward for me, although small steps build big things,” she highlighted.
