Paris: Just one match away from sealing the World No.1 spot for the season, Spaniard Rafa Nadal doesn’t see anything wrong in arch rival Roger Federer’s decision to skip the ATP Paris Open tennis tournament which began here with the qualifying rounds, Monday.
“I think, we are at an age when managing the body is of primary concern,” the Spaniard who became World No.1 in August for the first time in three years, told reporters here Tuesday. “Everybody prepares a calendar which is best suited for him. May Roger felt that after winning at Shanghai and Basel, his body needed rest. It’s quite similar to me… I had skipped Basel to stay in shape for this tournament,” Nadal added.
Nadal, if he wins his second round match here against South Korea’s Hyeon Chung, will seal his spot as the World No.1. Even though he is the first to admit that it will be an important milestone for him, he is not ready to think about it too much. “Definitely, to become No.1 means a lot to me, but then the season is not over yet. I’ve still got things to take care of like the second round match, this tourney and the one to follow at London (the ATP Finals). So even though the No.1 spot is important, celebrations will have to wait,” Nadal informed.
The Spaniard has always been very open about his opinions on a variety of topics and did not shy away from speaking his mind on the ongoing Catalonia crisis.
“Anything that I can say will not go the right way, not be taken in the right spirit, it is difficult (for me) to talk 100 per cent freely. I want the things to get better. I don’t want the fracture between people in Catalonia. I feel close to Catalonia. I love the people in Catalonia, and most of the Spanish people feel the same,” Nadal who is also a Catalan speaker, stated.
“No one wants a fractured Spain, neither Catalonians nor the people of mainland Spain. Everyone is Spanish… but then you have got to remember, that certain demands are justified,” added Nadal with his voice tapering away at the end.
Agencies
