Rafael Nadal: "I would have preferred Dominic Thiem to have won"
Rafael Nadal speaks at the opening of his Rafa Nadal Academy in Kuwait about the Olympic Games in Tokyo and looks back at the Australian Open - and would have loved to see Dominic Thiem lifting the trophy there.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Feb 06, 2020, 03:44 pm
It took Dominic Thiem four hours and ten minutes, 65 winners and three match balls to bring Rafael Nadal to his knees for the first time in a Grand Slam. It was a memorable quarter-final duel that the Austrian won with 7: 6 (3) 7: 6 (4) 4: 6 and 7: 6 (6). Dominic Thiem was able to retaliate at the Australian Open for the two final defeats in Roland Garros and the conceivably tight quarter-finals at the 2018 US Open at the Mallorcan. After the game, he did not save with praise for his seven-year-old opponent: “I didn't play badly today. I lost to a strong opponent and he deserves it. He did a good job. "
Dominic Thiem shouldn't be enough for the big triumph at the Australian Open either. In a conceivably tight endgame, the man from Lichtenwörth had to admit defeat in the final set of series winner Novak Djokovic - who pushed Rafael Nadal off the world rankings with victory. When opening his fourth Rafa Nadal Academy, the 19-time Grand Slam champion was asked about his view of this final : “Obviously I would have preferred Dominic to victory. You don't have to be a hypocrite: For me personally, a Dominic win would have been better. ”
In the same breath, the 33-year-old honors the achievements of his long-term competitor from Serbia: “This tournament is particularly important to Novak Djokovic. And now he's the best player in the world. That's what the numbers say. And the only thing I can do is congratulate him on another great success. ”But for the Spaniard, it is now a matter of looking ahead to the rest of the season - because this will be a very demanding one for him, as he will be between 2019 and had very little break in 2020.
Rafael Nadal is looking forward to the Olympics
One of the big highlights for Rafael Nadal in 2020 is the Olympic Games: "It is the most important sporting event in the world," states the two-time gold medalist. Nadal left it open whether he would start in singles or doubles: “I wish I could take part in both competitions, but you have to wait and see in what physical condition I will get there. But I will get the most out of myself, ”assured the Spaniard. Because even for Rafael Nadal, who won pretty much everything there is to win in tennis, an Olympic medal is still something very special: “It was a very exciting experience for me to become Olympic champion in Rio. The Olympic Games are without a doubt the most difficult competition to win in our sport. ”
A reunion in Tokyo with Dominic Thiem is impossible for Rafael Nadal. The Austrian is one of the few top players touring his homeland in the summer, instead of fighting for Olympic medals in Japan. But at the next Grand Slam - in Roland Garros - the two are likely to meet - and then it is doubtful that Rafael Nadal "prefers Dominic Thiem to win."