Question: Weeks have passed since Rafa’s retirement announcement. What were your thoughts at that moment?
Answer: I already knew the news, but I was unaware of when he would announce it. Despite knowing, there is an emotional moment; you relive some past moments… but on the other hand, I had already processed it quite a bit.
Do you feel he could have prolonged his farewell too much?
On Monday, everyone knows the betting odds. Had I known certain things… I wouldn’t have done it, but I didn’t know. Rafa extended his career because for years he dealt with pain, and that pain eventually passed, allowing him to continue competing the way he wanted. He was able to retire playing normally, which I believe was what he aimed for. Federer did it like this; for two years he couldn’t recover but he didn’t give up at the first hurdle. When he realized he couldn’t continue, he left. Rafael did the same.
The Davis Cup, a perfect ending to his career?
It depends; he could have retired in Paris too, in Madrid… He started his career with great success at the Davis Cup in Seville, and curiously, his last match will also be there. I hope it’s a success in Málaga.
It’s not just that I’ve spoken with him; I’ve seen him train in recent days at the Academy. The truth is, he was training at a very high level; we’ll see later because competition is totally different. I suppose we’ll have to wait, and David Ferrer will decide based on what happens in the days prior in Málaga.
How did you balance being Rafa’s uncle with being his coach?
Normally, just normally. I was more demanding with Rafael than with the others I coached. However, I remember applying the same principles to all the boys I trained. I once made a kid get out of the car to go pick up a piece of paper I threw out the window, making him walk back 300 meters to retrieve it. I understood that what was good on the court should be applied outside as well, and vice versa, so I acted normally. It’s not just an uncle-nephew relationship; any coach working with kids shouldn’t limit themselves to just the specific training of that activity; because of age and other factors, you have to try to help in the overall development of the kid.
How do you see the current landscape of tennis?
To me, it’s too fast; I’ve said it many times. I enjoy the sport when it doesn’t limit itself to just a physical aspect. There are sports that are purely physical; when you run 100 meters, it’s a physical matter; when you jump or swim… it’s true there is a mental aspect of suffering, but in 100-meter swimming, there isn’t much strategy involved. I prefer ball sports when there’s strategy involved. Nowadays, we are moving too far away from that, and we are shifting towards sports that are much faster and where there is less thought involved.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the two great kings of the now. Which one do you prefer?
Carlos is more brilliant; he varies his game more and has more ability to do different things… Sinner is a machine, a more consistent player, playing at an extremely high speed. Both are very good, but I personally prefer Carlos. I believe that in a perfectly played match by both, Carlos is probably a little above. However, in the end, sports isn’t just about being at the maximum level on a particular day… But both are very good; personally, I prefer Carlos’s game over Sinner’s… But I acknowledge both have great merit.
