Rome A Special Place For Nadal
Rome A Special Place For Nadal
Spaniard hopes to bring home his eighth title in the Italian capital
Rafael Nadal has played at hundreds of tournaments all over the globe during his 16-year career. But even for the well-traveled veteran, this week’s destination carries extra meaning.
“If Rome is not a special place for the players, I don’t know which place can be special,” Nadal said Tuesday during his pre-tournament press conference. “It’s one of the most historic events on our tour and one of the most important tournaments in our tour. I think everybody has a special feeling here. For me especially because I have a lot of success in the past.”
The 28 year old is the most successful player in the history of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The Spaniard has won the event seven times and holds a 47-4 career record in Rome. He’s reached the final in six of the past seven years and nine of the 11 years he’s played there. The only two years Nadal didn’t make the final was in 2008, when he lost to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round, and last year, when he fell to Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals.
“I am happy to be here in Rome another year,” Nadal said.
Ferrero retired years ago and Nadal will have to face Wawrinka only if both players make the final. But another familiar foe looms only two rounds ahead of the Spaniard: four-time champion Novak Djokovic, who’s won the past two Rome titles. The Serb also is coming off his record 29th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the Mutua Madrid Open on Sunday.
He and Nadal are the only players who have won titles in Rome since 2005. The last player to win a title there besides them was former World No. 1 Carlos Moya, who’s now coaching Milos Raonic. Nadal could face Djokovic in the quarter-finals.
“No. No, no, for sure I’m not happy,” Nadal said amid laughs when asked if he was happy about being drawn in the same quarter with Djokovic. “But the real thing is I’m not going to play against Novak tomorrow.”
Nadal opens with World No. 26 Philipp Kohlschreiber. The 32-year-old German won the BMW Open by FWU AG on clay last month in Munich. But Nadal beat him in straight sets the last time they played, at the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open BancSabadell. The left-hander also leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 12-1.
“He’s playing great,” Nadal said. “He’s a very good player on clay… I am worried about that now.”