[訪問]David Nalbandian 2004/05/31
Day 8 - Navid Nalbandian interview
Monday, May 31, 2004
Q. This makes four Argentinians in the quarterfinals. It's only the second
time it's happened here since 1968. To what do you attribute the fine
performance of your countrymen here?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: It's great. I think never in history it happen something
like this. So I'm a little surprised because this is not like every day. So
I hope -- I hope meet all Argentinians in the semifinals.
Q. This is the first time you're able to get past Safin. To what would you
account the change in your result against Safin, to beat him at such a big
tournament?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: First of all, I think he was a little tired from the longer
matches the other days. But I think I play not too good. But in the fourth
set, I think I played my best tennis on this match. But I know I have to keep
working for being in the semis or in the final. So I have to keep working on
it.
Q. You've played Marat before. You know how hard he can hit the ball, even on
clay. Would you say today, because of all the blisters on his hands, that he
was hitting the ball as hard as he normally does or less hard?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Well, I think it's not easy to play like this. For him is
not easy. For me either way, it's not easy. He start the match many times.
It's not easy to keep focused on the match. But I think today I try to move
him a little bit more because he maybe was a little tired.
But when he hit the ball so hard, it's difficult, because he's a very good
player.
Q. But do you think he was still able to hit the ball as hard as he normally
does?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think so, yeah.
Q. You know the fine difference between being this close to finishing out a
match and not being able to do it. What was going through your mind going
into the fourth set?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think I started playing very good in the tiebreak. But in
the last three or four points, he do a very good comeback. He play very good
that points. Well, I don't have nothing to do.
But in the beginning of the fourth set I play really good and I break him, so
I keep the chance all the sets.
Q. Why do you think you arrive just now in quarterfinals in this Grand Slam,
because you already arrive in quarterfinals of the others? Which is the most
important improvement you did on clay and in your mind?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: That's tough question. But I think I work so hard from
Monte-Carlo to be ready to play very good this tournament. I think I work on
my tennis, try to change a little bit to play on clay court.
Q. What?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, maybe I had to be a little quieter on the game, try
to didn't do as many mistakes, or maybe on the return I go back four or three
steps. That change a little bit.
On my mind, I think you have to be very strong for this tournament, and also
for your physic, you have to be ready to play four or five matches.
Q. Guga next, who has so many weapons, hits the ball so big from the back,
has a great serve. He does play deep. Can your dropshot be an important
weapon for you against Guga?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: I don't know. I tell you after the match. I don't know. I
really don't know. I think is going to be very tough match. He's playing good.
I'm going to try to do my best and I'm going to see what happen.
Q. Do you think his physical condition could be a problem? He has been
admitting that more than three sets, it's a little bit difficult for him,
Guga.
DAVID NALBANDIAN: I don't know. He didn't play longest match. Just the first
one, I think. But I think he's going to be ready. He didn't play longest
match, so maybe he's not too tired. But I feel great, so I'm going to be in
the same condition like him.
Q. What do you think are his strong points against you?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: His strong points?
Q. Yes.
DAVID NALBANDIAN: He have a very good serve. From the baseline, when he play
good, he's one of the best of clay courts. He's a very dangerous player.
Q. Ferrero and Nadal are not here for injuries. Ferrero was here, but he was
injured in some way. Do you think that now the Argentinian school is better
than the Spanish school, and why?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: It's just one tournament. You cannot say that for one
tournament. I think both Argentina and Spain are so strong. They have a lot
of players, Top 100, Top 50, Top 20. I think right now Argentina, it's a very
strong team.
Why? Maybe we work so hard.
Q. Speaking of Argentinian players, how long will it take Juan Monaco to
become a major factor on this tour?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Is difficult to say. He plays very good. He's very tall.
He have a very good serve. He play so good from the baseline. But you never
know when. That's difficult. I think maybe he's going to be a very good
player soon.
Q. Shall we change the name of dropshot to the "Nalbandian shot"? Have you
ever had a better day of dropshotting?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: I don't think so. I think I really do a very good dropshots
today. And I try to do it because my arm was maybe a little tired, so I had
to try to running all the time to Marat. So that shots today give me a very
good results.
Q. You go to the baseline to serve with a lead in the tiebreaker, two serves
to come. Suddenly you lose the set. Was that a shock?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: No, because he play so good that points. I mean, I won all
my dropshots point, and that one I lose, in the 5-All. But he played very
good, so I don't have much to do on that kind of points.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.
Q. You were saying recently about Argentina and Argentinian tennis. How can
you explain these four Argentinians in the quarterfinals here?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yes, it's incredible. It's the very first time. I think
it's really surprising for everyone. It's really quite unusual. I think it
does demonstrate that Argentina has very good players, and in all tournaments
you get Argentinians in semifinals or in the finals, particularly during this
season on clay - which is the favoured surface for most Argentinians.
Q. Did you feel that Safin was not perhaps at his best level because of the
blisters, and at key moments he was calling in for the trainer?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Well, obviously it's not very agreeable. Obviously, he did
have blisters and had to call in the trainer. I think that I managed to keep
my concentration at those moments. When he interrupted the match, I didn't
lose my concentration.
At times it's a bit annoying, but you do have to try to keep playing, and
this is what I managed to do.
Q. You played a very good match, but could you say that from a mental point
of view it was practically perfect because you had to fight the crowd, the
problem at the time of the tiebreak which you lost, and the problems with
Safin's blisters and the interruptions?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Well, it's true that all of this creates a bit of
difficulty. But I think I had a lot of confidence. I knew that even having
lost the third set in the tiebreak, I had to start the fourth set playing
well. I think that's the set that I played best during the entire match.
I didn't start very well, but it wasn't easy. I knew that he was tired, that
he had these blisters, these interruptions. Of course, at some times it's
annoying, but I think I managed it quite well.
Q. In spite of your young age, you already have a lot of experience in
reaching the later levels in a Grand Slam tournament. Do you think that all
of this experience, Wimbledon, US Open, so on, will help you to play Guga?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Well, actually I don't change much in my preparation. I
don't think I'm going to change anything.
Q. Is there anything special that you need to work on?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: No, I always do the same thing from the very first match.
Q. Could you tell us a bit more about Guga and how you imagine this match,
what Guga represents for Roland Garros, such a court, the crowd in his favor?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think the conditions will be very similar to the match of
today. The crowd will be with him. I think that's absolutely understandable.
Guga is a great player, and I think he deserves respect.
But I'm feeling very well. I really want to play this match. I'm really
impatient to go back on court and play that match.
Q. Are you more impressed by Guga the legend rather than Guga in his present
shape?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Well, of course, you never underestimate Guga. He's a very
dangerous player. He'll have the crowd on his side. But I think it's still a
match that I can win. So I will have to be ready to fight this match and try
to win it.
Q. On court with the crowd, do you think he transforms into a 200% player?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think that's very positive. The match will be even more
interesting.
Q. You ended each set with an ace. Do you remember that?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yes, yes.
Q. You also had a good serve. Have you been working on your serve lately?
Have you been doing anything special? It looks better.
DAVID NALBANDIAN: We've been working on it a lot because I think that was
one of the shots I really needed to improve. I think that it's given good
results. So, of course, I have to keep working on it and improving it.
Q. Did you change anything technically?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: No. It was only a matter of few details. I didn't change
anything technically. It's just simply that I really worked on it because
it's a very important shot.
Q. You've improved a lot on clay. Previously you had Wimbledon, the US Open,
and now you're doing very well in Roland Garros. Have you been working
particularly for this objective, to be good on clay?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yes, as I said from the very first moment, one of my
objectives was to play well here. I think I am managing it. I will have to
continue working. I need to improve on clay. But still I've been working a
lot - Monte-Carlo, Barcelona. I think that I'm seeing some results.
Q. Who is the favorite in the next match against Guga?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: Both, I suppose. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a
favorite. When you go on court, there's two players, and we both want the
same thing. So it will be quite a fight.
Q. You're in the tournament and probably don't see what's happening outside.
On Wednesday there's something special: you against Guga and Argentina
against Brazil in the eliminations.
DAVID NALBANDIAN: I didn't know that. Let's hope it's a victory 2-0.
Q. Do you take each match one at a time or do you think you have the
potential to be a champion here?
DAVID NALBANDIAN: There's still half the tournament to go. It will be the
toughest matches. I know that at this stage, everyone has a single objective.
I think it's very difficult to name any candidate. We're all in the
quarterfinals. I think that quarterfinalists reach that stage for a reason.
The question of the potential winner is something that I don't really dwell on.
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