Rafa's pre-tournament presser isn't yet up on the Wimbledon page (annoyingly), however, the following are quotes taken from Reuters ...
"I was not ready to play here. That's the real thing. I play with an infiltration (painkilling injection) from the first day," Nadal, seeded five this year, told reporters after practising on Saturday.
"Last year I played here because it's a tournament that I love. I tried my best. But after Roland Garros my knee was not there any more. After here I was not able to compete in one more tournament during the rest of the season.
"That's tennis and that's the sport. You lose, you win. That's part of the game. But that experience for me last year was too much. I suffered too much.
"If you are in the final rounds and if you have to protect or play with an infiltration, it's fine. But playing with an infiltration from the first day doesn't exist. Wimbledon was not a good decision for me."
It still breaks me as a fan to hear what we all know now, that Rafa was in a bad state at last year's Wimbledon. We should have known from the start with that very odd match with Bellucci. Saying nothing about what happened after.
"You cannot forget the tennis when you have Wimbledon in two weeks. It's impossible. But I stopped for a few days," Nadal said. "This time of year in Mallorca it's great as we have a little time to enjoy the sea.
"Not playing a tournament before here always makes it a little bit tougher because you really play with the real feelings only when you are playing matches."
We know Rafa, that you will always try your best ... you took time out, you needed it, we'll see what happens.
"I didn't play a lot on grass the last couple of years, so I really take care about myself about the first round. I don't think about the other things," said Nadal, who plays Belgium's Steve Darcis on Monday.
"My view is if I arrive to the quarter-finals is because I will be ready. But for me, it's going to be very tough to be there."
But if you're there Rafa ... we too, will be ready.
VAMOS!!!!
It wasn't just that first match at Wimbledon against Bellucci, Wooffs, it was both his matches at Halle too. He for sure wasn't himself but many of us put it down to just being emotionally exhausted after that incredible FO win. Once the pictures came out showing the puncture marks on his knee though, we knew. :(
ReplyDeleteIt drives me nuts how the narrative in the media is that he lost a bad match against a hot player and THEN took seven months off to rest his knee. No...the story is that he had a bad injury and THAT is why he lost the match. I'm glad he was quite specific about that in this presser, although I still don't expect the storylines to change. **rollseyes**
Speaking of storylines, did you see that Ugly is still milking the death of his coach? That he's trying to put his grief behind him? #vomit The woman he never bothered to call until he needed an emotional 'hook' for his tv interviews. He's so sleezy.
Positive thoughts!!! Looking forward to our champion doing his thing and proving, once again, that he's the best tennis player on the planet (as well as the cutest!). :)