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Rafa vows to rebuild confidence
World No1 Rafael Nadal yesterday admitted he has been struggling with confidence this season but refused to use it as an excuse for last week’s early exit in Monaco.
The 27-year-old Spaniard, the top seed for this week’s Barcelona Open, lost in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters to compatriot David Ferrer.
It was his earliest loss in the Principality since 2003 and came 12 months after his eight-year winning streak at the event was ended in the final by Novak Djokovic.
“I started the season okay except for some lack of confidence and competitiveness in important moments of certain matches,” said Nadal, whose campaign in Barcelona begins in the second round tomorrow against Nikolay Davydenko or Albert Ramos. “I’ve faced adversities throughout my career, and this is just another one.”
The Spaniard has experienced some mental lapses since his Australian Open final defeat to Stanislas Wawrinka last January but he insists it’s time to move past it.
“I cannot continue using the Australia Open final as an excuse, that is past,” said the world No1. “In Monte Carlo I should have achieved more. No one can win all the time, I’m no exception. I’ve lost before and I’ll lose again. But I’m not bitter or mad at myself.”
Nadal, winner of 13 Grand Slam titles, said there was no disgrace in losing to veteran Ferrer, who is ranked sixth in the world.
The action in Barcelona yesterday saw rising Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut enjoy an explosive start, steamrollering Lukasz Kubot of Poland 6-1, 6-0 to book a second round meeting with world No17 Kei Nishikori.
The Japanese No4 seed will be playing for the first time since a groin injury forced him to withdraw from his Miami semi-final against Djokovic last month.
Meanwhile, Wawrinka played down his French Open hopes despite his Monte Carlo Masters title success against Roger Federer, claiming that the sport’s big names remain in a class of their own.
The win in Monaco left Wawrinka with fresh confidence in his big-swinging game.
“I play well on clay. It’s normal that I would be a favourite for the French Open, but I don’t think so because I’m very far from players like Rafa (Nadal), Novak (Djokovic) and Roger (Federer),” said the Australian Open champion. “I think the big four will always be the big four – Rafa, Novak, Roger and Murray. They won all the tournaments since many years and you cannot change that.
“The rankings may be different, but the statistics are the same. I will not change anything in the way I approach the tournaments.” .
