F. VERDASCO/J. Benneteau, 6-2, 6-1

An interview with: FERNANDO VERDASCO

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Fernando.

Q. Julien said he felt like a bull in the bullring on the court today. What is your take on that?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: I don’t know why he say that?

Q. He felt like you were playing around with him.

FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I was just try to play my game, try to get used to the clay court as soon as possible, playing deep with spin, like, you know, run and fight, you know, like normally you must play on clay court.

Maybe he was also a little bit tired from yesterday. He have a three set match yesterday, and it was my first match today. So maybe it was a little bit different about that.
But I play good. I play good. I think I did a good match. I don’t know how he felt today. I was feeling good. You know, I was just trying to play my best here and trying to get the level from last year on clay court.

Q. Did you expect to play so well for the first match this week?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I didn’t make like unbelievable winners, but I played very solid. I didn’t make unforced errors. I made some, but not a lot. And I play good, no? I play like with good style on clay. So, you know, that make me happy, no, with my match.

I was practicing like this. So, you know, my expectations was to play like this, to play the same that I was practicing, not to play worse that I was practicing, no?

So what I didn’t expect is the result. I didn’t expect to win 6-2, 6-1, but I was expecting to play like today.

Q. Do you think that you played Acapulco makes your adaptation faster on clay court or you think it’s no connection?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, maybe. I play there three matches. I was practicing clay just two days before the tournament because I got there maybe three days before the tournament. And, you know, it was different.

Now I have I don’t know, today is Tuesday, and I start practicing on clay last Sunday. So more than a week. Is different than Acapulco.

But, you know, I think that like I had more time than in Acapulco, and also maybe that tournament helped me to get the rhythm easier and faster.

Q. When and why have you signed a new endorsement with the racquet with Dunlop?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: I do it in Miami, I think. Yeah, in America. Why? Because, you know, we were like watching many brands. I tried Yonex. But I was with problems in clay court. So finally we took the decision to don’t keep playing with Yonex. And then in the United States, the USA, I tried Dunlop. But still we are trying to get a better racquet, no? So we are working on it. But I decide to sign with them for four years I think. I don’t know, four or five.

Q. Are you comfortable with this one?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: Yeah.

Q. Better than the last one?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I think we are still working together with the racquet. I hope to get like the perfect racquet for Roland Garros. That’s the goal.

Q. Can you talk about the French guys, their level since the beginning of the season, and what are their chances on clay?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: The chances on clay from the French players?

Q. Yes.

FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I think that they have like many good players. They are in a great level. But, yeah, maybe they are more like hard court players normally than clay court players. At the same time they could play also good on clay. Benneteau did quarterfinals in Roland Garros one year. Tsonga last year. You know, they are like so talent players, almost all the French guys. So I think that they can do it good in all the surface.

But normally they get adapt easier I think for the hard court, no, like Benneteau, Llodra, like Tsonga, Simon, almost all of them. But I think that they can do also good results on clay.

Q. Talent is one thing, but what do they have to improve the most? Their mental and physical?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: I don’t know. I don’t know how they are mentally. I don’t speak about that with them.

Q. But sometimes if you have to face them…

FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I think they have one style of game, and maybe, like I said, they play more flat than you supposed to play on clay court. I don’t really know. I also don’t like to speak about another players.

Q. Would you say at this moment Monfils has the best chance on clay of the French?

FERNANDO VERDASCO: Now he’s injured. But if you put all the French players on the best shape, hundred percent, I think he’s the one who made better results on clay. He did semifinals in Paris, and last year quarters, no? So I think also his style of game is more for clay. He’s so solid on the baseline, he’s so fast. Also he play like with more spin than maybe Benneteau, Llodra, Tsonga even. But Tsonga, he has very good serve, very good forehand. With this he can win matches in all surfaces.

But I think Monfils, if I have to say one, I will take Monfils for clay, if I need to take a partner for my team. It’s not just like play his tennis, but if I need to do it.

Fernando advanced to the third round, defending Frenchman Julien Benneteau, 6-2, 6-1 earlier today in just under and hour and fifteen minutes to set up an inevitable rematch between him and Tomas Berdych, who defeated Richard Gasquet in similar fashion, 6-2, 6-0, in just under an hour. It will be the third straight meeting in as many tournaments for Fernando and Berdych.

Pre-Tournament Interview

and pictures from the Players Party…

…and the Pre-Tournament Press Conference

…where he talked a bit about Rafa:

“He’s not won a title since Rome and that’s not normal. It’s strange to people. He’s supposed to win every event, or almost every event, but now things are getting more equal among top players. Anyone can beat anyone, it’s not like a year ago when Nadal and Federer dominated. But Rafa remains number one on the clay and he’s still the player to beat at every event on this surface.”

Article also mentions that Fernando’s been recovering from his sciatic nerve problem thanks to rehab and exercise.

Fernando plays Julien Benneteau second up on center court tomorrow :)

Click below to see Fernando’s section of the singles draw for the upcoming Miami Masters tournament:

Fernando has a bye in the first round of Monte Carlo and will face either Julien Benneteau or a qualifer in the second. He has a potential third round meet-up with Tomas Berdych (it would be their third straight match in as many tournaments), a quarterfinal match with Marin Cilic and a semifinal meeting with Novak Djokovic.

Alan Hill from Talk Tennis at Tennis Warehouse has found the pictures of Fernando’s new Dunlop racquets.

Read more

Fernando’s start to the upcoming clay season is in a bit of question as he’s been dealing with some nagging injuries that may prevent him from playing at the Monte Carlo Masters.

A recurring back injury and a nagging sciatic nerve injury may put his upcoming clay season on hold. He plans to visit the doctor of the Spanish Federation, Angel Ruiz Cotorro, for an accurate diagnosis and treatment when he arrives back in Spain.

“The truth is I do not know what to do. Maybe I should stop and recover, or continue with discomfort and trying to defend the Monte Carlo points that way. I had an MRI in Las Vegas, before playing in Indian Wells. The problem affects me in the sciatic nerve of the leg. It’s not much pain walking or running, but when the game is long, it gets worse. Depending on what the doctor says, I’ll see if I can play in Monte Carlo, Rome.”

Fernando also lamented missed opportunities in his quarterfinal loss against Tomas Berdych.

“Knowing that was not Roger, but Berdych that I was playing, I should’ve taken my opportunities. With Federer, normally he is beating me, but Berdych, he is behind me in the rankings, so it was a good opportunity. It was difficult with the wind to get the timing right, hitting the center of the strings. I could not play great tennis. He hits flat, deep, very hard. At the same time, it is difficult for him to be consistent like this all the time, and that is why he is only in the top 20 of the world and not the top ten.”

(translated via la aficion)

Fernando ended his Sony Ericsson Open run with losses in the quarterfinals in both singles and doubles. He lost a tough match against Tomas Berdych earlier today despite being up a set and a break, 6-4, 6-7⁵, 4-6 and he and Feliciano lost their doubles match to compatriots and Davis Cup teammates Nicolas Almagro and Tommy Robredo, 5-7, 3-6.

So now it’s off to get ready for the clay season. Fernando is scheduled to play Monte Carlo-Rome-Madrid-Nice-Roland Garros for his clay season, although he could ask for a wildcard for Barcelona depending on his results. So vamos Fernando, and best of luck for the upcoming clay season!