(AFP) – Five-time champion Rafael Nadal acknowledged that he will be counting on his physical reserves when he makes his Madrid Open start Wednesday as he recovers from a stomach virus.
The second seed will get his campaign for a sixth Madrid title under way with a first-time meeting with Canada’s fast-rising teenager Felix Augur-Aliassime, in the second round.
He said that while he might not be at 100 percent for the match, he will go in fighting.
“I’ve been going through a virus. The positive side is: I’ve been able to train at least an hour-and-a-half (per session),” Rafa said.
“I hope that tomorrow is going to be a bit better, I’m going to improve.
“I’m a bit better than yesterday and yesterday was better than the day before.”
But the 17-time Grand Slam winner warned: “It’s true that when you have this virus and stomach viruses, the body’s a bit weaker.
“There is a bit more risk of injuries. But of course, this is a very important tournament for me and I hope to be ready.
“Hopefully the virus is not going to affect my performance or how I should play tomorrow.”
Rafa said that while he would have loved to have arrived in the capital with titles in his pocket, the lack of them is hardly a crisis; he lost in semi-finals in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, two events where he was defending titles.
“I will try to do my best, look at the positive things and go step by step,” he said.
“Barcelona (where he lost to Dominic Thiem) was a positive improvement for me. I’m feeling better now than then – I’m on the right path.
“I’m building up my game with more confidence than I had in Monte Carlo. I’m enjoying training and I enjoy playing each day.
“This is a very important step for me.”
Source: AFP
Oh Lord! I m so anxious . All the best rafa
Weldone Rafa keep it up Becaz you are great player in tennis history…..
Sorry for typo…Felix
Nicole pls stick to a Felux fan site. I like the young man, but it’s rude to come on this site and applaud Rafa being sick.
WI……..WI……..WI…………AND CI………CI……..CI………!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GORGEOUS INTERVIEW PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE SO INTELLIGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) AND CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOVED WHAT YOU SAID IN THE INTERVIEW……EACH DAY FEELS BETTER THAN THE DAY BEFORE…….YOU ARE STRONG AND YOUR BODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO !!! : ) LIFE IS EVOLVING BEAUTIFULLY……JUST THE WAY IT IS……AND YOUR POWERFUL ENERGY AND BRILLIANT DRIVE ALONG WITH YOUR BLESSED INSTINCTS ALWAYS THERE GUIDING YOU SWEETHEART TO YOUR FEISTY FIGHTING AND BEAUTIFUL SOLID TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!; ) WI……WI…….WI…….SENIOR SWEETHEART CHAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY PLAYING AND WITH A SMILE KEEP DOING YOUR THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ; ) THAT’S WHERE IT IS AT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) NO MORE NO LESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) KEEPING ALL YOUR PRECIOUS MOMENTS DEAR AND CLOSE TO YOUR HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOUR MILLIONS OF FANS ARE RIGHT THERE ENJOYING EACH STEP YOU TAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE ALL LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOVE YOUR PRECIOUS TENNIS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BEAUTIFUL TO WITNESS YOUR GIFTS EACH TIME YOU STEP ON THE COURT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 : ) PRACTICING OR PLAYING A MATCH, YOUR INSPIRATION AND INNER BOUNTIFUL STRENGTH THAT TAKES YOU TO TOP TOP TOP TOP MAGIC PLACES OF EXTRAORDINARY OPENNESS AND SUCCESS, AND ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR SHEER HARD WORK, UNBELIEVABLE EFFORTS, AND THAT INTUITIVE INNER WISDOM YOU ARE BLESSED WITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU DEAR RAFA NADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART FOR KNOWING WHAT WORKS, FOR YOUR PRECIOUS FOCUS, AND FOR LINING YOUR PRIORITIES CORRECTLY JUST RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GIVING YOURSELF REST AND HEALING IS ALWAYS YIELDING FRUITFUL BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) ALL ARE THERE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR RISING AND GLIDING AND NETTING AND SERVING AND HAVING FUN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) OUR FAMILY IS SENDING LOTS OF LOVE AND HAPPINESS AND A BIG HUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) BY THE WAY TO END THIS LENGTHY MESSAGE LET ME SHARE THAT MY BELOVED PRECIOUS GRANDFATHER LIVED TO BE 97, AND WHENEVER YOU ASKED HIM : GRANDPA HOW ARE YOU? HIS ANSWER WAS ALWAYS THE SAME “BETTER THAN YESTERDAY” SO I USED TO SAY COMMON GRANDPA YOU ALWAYS SAY THAT, AND HE WOULD SMILE AND KINDLY SAY ” TODAY IS BETTER THAN YESTERDAY”………,SO SWEETHEART YOUR INTERVIEW REMINDED ME OF THE WISDOM YOU BOTH SHARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON AND A BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) XOXOXOXOXOXO
All the best Rafa <3
Hoe it gives a chance to Félix Auger. Get the W Felix. A great 👍 fan from Québec.
What a sad dweep !! your dumbhead loser you’re a stupid dickhead fan!
Hope you are feeling better good luck,as u move ahead in this tournament an the rest of the summer…..