Rafa revved up about return to Paris Stunned by Stefanos
After capturing another Italian Open, Nadal excited to see Roland Garros
ROME — After claiming his first title of this season and ninth Italian Open trophy on Sunday, defending French Open champion Rafael Nadal said he can’t wait to return to the clay courts of Roland Garros.
Nadal defeated world No 1 Novak Djokovic 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 for a record 34th Masters, leaving his vanquished foe to label the Spaniard as “the No 1 favorite for Roland Garros”.
“I am going to be there with time enough, as always,” said 32-year-old Nadal, who will be gunning for a 12th trophy in Paris, starting May 26.
“I’m going to repeat my normal routines. For sure I can’t wait to be there and have the feeling, see the stadium, watch all the new great things that Roland Garros is doing,” the 17-time Grand Slam winner said of rebuilt Philippe Chatrier Centre Court.
“I saw a picture. It looks great. Still open, not closed. It’s a different stadium, but the feeling probably will not be very different.
“This year, I don’t see a big difference. The wind is going to be the same as always. Court is still big.”
Nadal’s first title of the season, and particularly on his favorite clay surface, is a huge boost for the Spaniard.
“Happy to reach that level in the last tournament before a Grand Slam,” said Nadal.
“But I don’t want to talk about Grand Slams now. I never did in the past. This is an important title, so now’s the moment to keep going.”
Djokovic — winner at the previous week’s Madrid Open — gave an error-strewn display in his 54th meeting with second-ranked Nadal after spending six hours on the court in his previous two matches.
“For me, the most important thing is to feel myself playing well and feel myself healthy, with the energy that I need,” said Nadal.
“If that happens, my experience is that I am going to fight for titles sooner or later.”
The 32-year-old had not dropped a set all week before the final, taking a 6-0 set from four of his five opponents.
“During the last couple of weeks, every day has been better. And here I am finally with this great trophy.”
Nadal pulled out of Indian Wells with a knee injury, and had not advanced past the semifinals in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid.
“After Indian Wells, there have been some tough moments for me in terms of recovering again,” he said.
“I didn’t arrive very well prepared to Monte-Carlo. There have been some low moments for me. The first round in Barcelona was a disaster.”
Nadal was stunned by Stefanos Tsitsipas, a player 12 years his junior, in the semifinals in Madrid.
But the Spaniard brushed aside the Greek in the semifinals in the Italian capital on Friday.
“Yesterday (Saturday against Tsitsipas) was probably was my best match on clay so far this season before today (Sunday), because today I played better than yesterday.”
Nadal overtakes Djokovic at the top of the list for Masters wins — they were tied at 33 before Sunday’s final — although the latter still holds a 28-26 career edge.
Djokovic is targeting his fourth straight Grand Slam after Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open.
The 31-year-old’s only title in Paris was in 2016.
“Nadal is the No 1 favorite, without a doubt, then everyone else,” said the 15-time Grand Slam winner.
“But I think it’s going to be a good tournament. Dominic Thiem is playing some really, really good tennis.
“He can beat anybody really, especially on clay. (Fabio) Fognini is also playing great tennis. He showed against Nadal in Monte-Carlo what he’s capable of.
“I mean, on a given day, best-offive, with one day between matches, I think many players will have enough time to really be at their best.
“Everyone is trying to peak for Roland Garros, without a doubt.
“I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be a great tournament.” In Sunday’s women’s final, Karolina Pliskova captured the biggest clay-court trophy of her career by beating Johanna Konta 6-3, 6-4.
Pliskova’s victory will move her up to No 2 in the rankings.
“I just hope to take the tennis I was playing here to Paris,” Pliskova said. “For sure there’s going to be a chance for me if I play this way.”
Runner-up at the 2016 US Open, Pliskova also reached the Australian Open semifinals and the Miami Open final after opening this season with a title in Brisbane, Australia.
She lost in the second round of her previous two tournaments on clay in Stuttgart, Germany, and Madrid.
“Nobody really gave me chance for this tournament — even me,” Pliskova said.
“Before the tournament, I was not super confident, not thinking about the final at all. I was just happy with every match which I played. So this is a little bit like a miracle for me.”
For me, the most important thing is to feel myself playing well and feel myself healthy, with the energy that I need. If that happens, experience is that I am going to fight for titles sooner or later.” Rafael Nadal, after winning the Italian Open