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ROLAND GARROSMay 27, 2014David FerrerPARIS, FRANCE D. FERRER/I. Sijsling THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please. Q. Are you happy with how you started the tournament? DAVID FERRER: Yes, of course. I won in three sets, so it's important, no? I start winning in three sets, and not many time on the court. Q. Coming back to a place where you made the final last year, what kind of emotions do you have coming here? DAVID FERRER: Well, good, nice. Is nice come back again in Roland Garros and play in the Philippe Chatrier. Of course I have very good records here. The last year in Roland Garros it was my best result in a Grand Slam, so it's good to come back. But, you know, is different. It's another year and another season. I am trying also to do my best and play every match, no? Q. In Monte‑Carlo you beat Rafael Nadal for the first time in ten years on clay. So how do you feel about your chances of winning this tournament and also looking forward to your match with Rafa? What do you feel are your chances? DAVID FERRER: I don't know. I don't know, because my next match I have to play against Bolelli or Arnaboldi, no? So I am not thinking about Rafael. It is a long way to play with him. I am only focused with my next opponent. Q. But what do you feel are your chances to winning the tournament? How are you feeling about that? DAVID FERRER: I only think my next match. I am not thinking if I would have chance in the tournament or not. I am only going step by step. Q. When a lot of upsets happen in the beginning of the tournament, Wawrinka, Nishikori, Dimitrov today, is it easy to block this and not look around it? Or will you look at it and think there is more opportunity for you? DAVID FERRER: No, of course not. I am only focused on myself. You know, here all the matches are close. The tennis is very close. Is normal sometimes to have surprises. Always in a Grand Slam, in the first round there were surprises. So Na Li lost I think, so yesterday Kei and I think Dimitrov also lost. It's difficult this sport and this game. Q. Some people were saying that maybe Rafa coming into this tournament is a little bit more vulnerable than maybe previous years. What do you think? You're close to him. You played him. You beat him. What's your opinion on that? DAVID FERRER: No, I don't think so. Rafael, he's No. 1 of the race. So of course he's having very good moment. The people outside sometimes talk without know about the tennis. And what is impossible, win every tournament every year like did Rafael, Roger sometimes, or Novak Djokovic. You know, here is a new season. Rafael is No. 1 of the world. He is the favorite in Roland Garros. For me, you know, if maybe he can lost a few matches in Monte‑Carlo or in Barcelona, but he won in Madrid, he did final in Rome. And in clay court for me he's the best player. Q. This is a bit offbeat, but there are a lot of former players who are now coaches and they are around the locker room and players lounge. Is there anyone in particular? I mean, there's Becker, Bruguera, all these players, Michael Chang. Is there anyone in particular you're happy to bump into or did you speak to any of these ex‑players? DAVID FERRER: Well, I'm happy with Sergi Bruguera because, you know, he was one of my idols when I was younger. So always nice to see on the tour. I'm have a very good relationship with him. He's a very funny guy and good guy. THE MODERATOR: Spanish questions. Q. Would you say that it was easier than you thought, or is it because there is a storm on the Chatrier court, and the storm is you? DAVID FERRER: Well, of course it was a bit windy on the court, so it was a bit difficult to hit the balls correctly. But I was happy, because I was well‑focused during the whole match and very consistent, which is the most important thing. Q. Tell us more about the 30‑year‑old players. You're one of those. Why would you say that you're still there on the courts? Whereas for the younger players, it's more difficult, more difficult for them to reach this level. Maybe you have the technical staff or teams with you that no longer exist? DAVID FERRER: That's true. Tennis has become much more professional mainly with the physical therapist, whose role is more and more important. And all players who play at a high level need a good physio. Therefore, this has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Rather as Rafa says I think that younger players gain their full maturity a bit later now. This is true at least for the Spanish type of tennis. But there is so much to do that also perhaps younger people want to play another sport. Q. Yesterday Wawrinka talked a lot about the mental aspect. He said this is the big difference between him and the best players like Djoko and Nadal. Would you say the same? Would you say they're different from the other players thanks to this mental thing that they have? DAVID FERRER: Well, I think it's a bit of everything, you know. But if you look around, these two players are better than the rest of us in many respects. For instance, Nadal has a very strong mental approach to the game, and Djoko, as well. They have this desire to win, which is really deeply rooted in them. They have this appetite for victories. And we follow them, and we are lucky to follow them, because we can learn from them. I think they win because also they are better with the details apart from the fact that mentally they are really men of steel. But physically they are very strong, as well. They are very solid. So it's a whole thing. Q. Now, if we look at today, today is a bit cold, the weather conditions are poor, people are a bit bothered. What do you do to survive? DAVID FERRER: Well, I try not to think about this. I look at the positive sides. Of course it was a wee bit windy, but I thought not too bad for me, because my opponent serves really well, so I thought maybe the wind is going to bother him. So that's what I see, the positive aspects. And I always adapt my style. I'm not just thinking in terms, Am I going to win or lose? I'm always well‑focused and I think the weather conditions are the same for both players. Q. You have said that the economic crisis has perhaps had a negative impact and has slowed down all of the youngest players in Spain. Could you perhaps tell us more about the crisis in Spain in general. DAVID FERRER: Well, I couldn't vote for the European elections because I was here in Paris, but I wanted to vote. Q. And what do you think about this? DAVID FERRER: Well, I don't think we should talk about politics or policy here. It'sneither the venue or the moment or the place, you know. Now everybody is aware of the result of these European elections. Of course I read the papers, I'm interested in policy and politics, as well, even though I'm a bit worried. I listen to the news, I watch TV, I listen to the radio, as well, very much. It's very important to listen to radios and TVs, but not just tennis. You know, you have to know what's the most important thing in a man's life. Economics and politics are very important. I think that all of us should contribute even though it might be in a minimal way to improve the situation and do good for all people on earth. We have to fight for our ideas. Q. Back to tennis. Not long ago in Rome it was 3‑All, 0‑30 against Djokovic, and then you won. You defeated Rafa, as well. So you're not that far, are you? DAVID FERRER: Well, that's true.  Well, you have the impression that you're here, you're here, but, you know, the ones who win, usually it's either Rafa or Djoko. I'm very sorry about Wawrinka, he played so well so far. But again, the most important thing for me is to be among the best players, to be very competitive, and the rest is results. And I showed, that's true, that I have improved. But then there are all the younger players, Nishikori, for instance, who plays a lot better. You know, Nishikori, Wawrinka, well, that was a bad day, but then look at their levels of play. And even Raonic, they can do so much. I think that we can't always remain in the top 8, but we do our best. But then, you know, one day you're no longer in the top rankings. Q. Now, I have a question that is not connected to tennis but football. Which are your favorite football teams for the World Cup? DAVID FERRER: Well, I think there are several favorite teams. There's Spain, of course. They are world champion. They have won the Cup before, and they can do a lot. They can go deep. And after them, well, you know, it's based on penalty kicks and a bit of chance, as well. Well, of course, Brazil, they are going to play at home. Each time the tournaments were in South America, it was a South American team that won. And Germany, Germany is still very solid. And then there is also Argentina. Let us not forget about the Italians. They fight so hard. Well, maybe their team is not as solid as before, but during the World Cups, they are usually very good. Q. Were you surprised with Karlo and Dimitrov's results? DAVID FERRER: Well, Karlovic is called the bombardier, Croatian bombardier I think is his nickname. You don't want to play against this player. He's got such a pace, and he's got a killer serve. So I was thinking about Dimitrov. He's probably suffered a lot, but sometimes the draw is a bit of a lottery. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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