PARIS — British writer Sue Mott once said that the confidence of the British player Laurie Latimore was “drained away like a Yorkshire reservoir.” We know absolutely nothing about Spanish reservoirs, but we do know that the once preminent, supremely confident Rafael Nadal is now feeling drained. On Sunday, the soon-to-be 25-year-old said he was feeling like he was going on 100. The usually upbeat Spaniard went on to moan (with plenty of justification) about the length of the tour and travails of ATP life.
Insiders wondered what in the world has happened to the once-bounding, joyous young bull. Has the grind of it all and the Serbian surge of Novak Djokovic gotten to him? A year ago on clay, Rafa was as dominant a player on the surface as any in the Open Era. He swept to titles in four clay tournaments, including Roland Garros: such a clay monster. Now he was saying he wasn’t hitting deep enough in the court, didn’t have much rhythm and he was standing too far back. What else, Rafa? Well, what about his conviction?
Rafa said, “I have to hit the ball with a little bit more conviction, in my opinion… That's the biggest issue for the last final part of the tournament for me.”
Conviction. Maybe that’s it. The No. 1 doesn’t seem to know what’s shaking his world. You see the confusion written all over his famous olive face. The fierce snarl – imposing and mean — is largely gone. Instead, we see doubt, frustration, aggravation. And while talking to the media he's all over the place: feigning confidence and then admitting the drop in his level and revealing his lack of any kind of confidence. Check out this interview room exchange:
Q: In 40 years I follow tennis, and I never heard the No. 1 in the world being asked so many times why you play so badly, why you're not playing that well, how do you feel, what are your mistakes, and so on. Are you surprised…that every day you have to explain why you're not at the top of your level when you're playing, in my opinion, well?
RN: No, for me that's something fantastic. That's true, no? All the day we are talking about I am playing very bad, but I am in quarterfinals. I play six finals in a row this year. I am having a very good year. One player is doing better… That's all. But I'm in good position to finish the year in a very high position of the ranking. For me, it's not an obligation play well every day. For me, I am No. 1 for one more week. The No. 1 not always play at the No. 1 level, no? You can be No. 1, but some days you can play level of No. 30 or level of No. 10, and the No. 10 can play at the level of No. 1. But you are No. 1 because most of the days during the season your level is regular. And even if you are not playing that well, you keep winning. It's true I am not playing that well. But I am in quarterfinals…Sometimes it's much more important win when you are not playing that well than win when you were playing well, because win when you are playing well probably is easier. Win when you are not playing that well is the more difficult thing. Only the top players can do that. I think that…
Q: You're confident?
RN: Confident about what?
Q: Going on.
RN: Going on where?
Q: Winning here.
RN: Win this tournament again? No, seriously, I am not confident. I am not playing enough well to win this tournament at the day of today. That's the true. The thing is you have to be realist, and today I'm not playing enough well to win this tournament. We will see after tomorrow if I am ready to play at this level. I going to try. But I won four times already here, five times already here. I don't have an obligation to win six. I going to try for sure, but…
This is hardly the voice of old Rafa, make that the young Rafa, the oh-so-triumphant and confident matador.
AND THE ANNIE HALL 'LA DI DA, LA DI DA' MEDALION GOES TO: There was a certain la-di-da, la-di-da ring to the Alejandro Falla vs. Juan Ignacio Chela quarterfinal match up.
I DON’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW: Andy Murray, with an injured foot, smashing his racket on his foot.
LEST WE FORGET: Earlier this year, Maria Sharapova explained a loss by Andrea Petkovic, who’s known for her victory jigs, saying, “I guess she got tired from all that dancing.” Ouch! And yes, we loved Petkovic's moonwalk on Court 1 after she advanced to a meeting with Sharapova. Should be great stuff. The two have split two matches this year in Melbourne and Miami.
AS UNFORCED AS YOU CAN IMAGINE: After Murray flared a forehand, broadcaster George Homsi said, “It’s as unforced an error as you can imagine.”
YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN PARIS: When the billboards in the subway – make that the Metro – extol the wonders of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam…Grand Slam fans whistle and hoot to express their rage over a post-match, on-court interview that's being being done in English…The fromage-friendly lunch hour lingers through half the afternoon.
SO WHAT DOES RAFA THINK?: Due to the withdrawal of the injured Fabio Fognini — Djokovic will not have to play for four days. So a brave journalist dared ask Nadal if he thought that might turn out to be a disadvantage for the Serb. It was a tough exchange:
Q: With Fognini pulling out of the tournament, Novak will have four days off now. How would you feel if you were in that position?
RN: Fantastic, no? [Laughter.] Tell me what's the worst part of that?
Q: No, rhythm.
RN: After don't lose a match during all the year with, I don't know, 40‑something straight victories, you think he's out of rhythm now?
Ivan Ljubicic felt Djokovic’s layoff would hurt. He said, “I don't think that's a good thing for him, honestly. I think at this stage to have four days off without competitive matches, it's not easy, it's not good. And especially for him, probably the biggest match of his career coming up, playing for No. 1 spot against probably Roger Federer or whoever… it's not gonna be easy. Of course it feels good…not playing quarterfinal, but four days are a lot in the middle of the tournament.”
THE BALD TRUTH: With the folically challenged Ljubicic on court today against Nadal, perhaps we should mention that it’s obvious that Andre Agassi is the best bald player in history, then Ljubicic and James Blake. Best bald doubles player ever: South African Bob Hewitt. And who’s the best bald celebrity fan? (Caution: this is a trick question.) Answer: Alec BALDwin.
GO FIGURE: For years, Djokovic struggled with his health. Remember when Andy Roddick famously claimed he had every possible malady, including SARS. Now the Serb is the “beneficiary” of Fognini's withdrawal.
SUGARPOVA: The name of Sharapova’s upcoming line of candies.
DADDY DEAREST: Four fathers made to the fourth round: Federer, Ljubicic, Gilles Simon and Stanislaus Wawrinka. The last dad to win here was Albert Costa in 2002.
