“I learnt nothing about my physical state today” – Nadal still undecided on Roland-Garros
Rafael Nadal refuses to confirm his plans for Paris until he has more information about how his body might hold up
Rafael Nadal leaves the court in Madrid (Ella Ling/Shutterstock/SIPA)
In a match that lasted only a couple of minutes past an hour, and in which he lost just one game, it was perhaps unsurprising that Rafael Nadal told the media that he had learnt nothing about his body and its capacity from his 6-1, 6-0 defeat of 16-year-old Darwin Blanch in Madrid.
“I have been able to play a match against a player with a huge potential, but still very young and still making mistakes,” he said politely in a crowded press conference at la Caja Magica.
“I mean, I didn’t test much my body today. I think I played a decent match doing the things that I had to do to be through, but at the same time, I played against a player that today – today; I don’t know in a few weeks – he’s not solid enough yet because he’s making more mistakes.”
Nadal: I can’t give my 100 per cent every day
Asked how his current condition compares to his top level, the 37-year-old replied: “I try to play at my 100%, but I can’t give my 100% every day,” adding: “The thing is before, most of the time, I was able to give my 100% of the 100%. Today I’m able to give my 100% of sometimes 40%, sometimes 60%, sometimes 70%, and if I am able to raise this percentage day after day or week after week, why not in the future what can happen?”
He was also asked about how his current comeback compared to those earlier in his career, and he was honest about his chances of playing Roland-Garros next month when he said: “Today is a different story. I mean, I never had this super long period of time without playing and important surgeries. And I never had almost 38 [years old]. Was in a different age.
“And I’m trying, as always, tried. Let’s see. I am not negative. I am just realistic. I am here to try to explore what can happen in the next couple of weeks.”
Earlier in the press conference, he had said in Spanish quotes translated by Tennis Majors: “What I don’t want is to go to Paris at any cost.”
