Alexander Zverev: 'Facing Rafael Nadal in Spain doesn't make things easier'
In an interview, Alexander Zverev commented on what makes Rafael Nadal so special. The German player said: "Facing against him in Spain does not make the challenge easier. We played once in Spain, in Davis Cup [in 2018], and it was a very difficult match. I have the feeling that he enjoys it. He knows he's the best and somehow connects with the fans.”
Dominic Thiem added: "I think that Barcelona, Monte-Carlo and Roland Garros are the tournaments where it is more complicated to beat him. He’s at home and in his zone when the courts are slow and it makes landing a winner that much more difficult. He’s also a master when it comes to conserving energy. He launches powerful shots, but he knows how to generate just the right amount of power at exactly the right time. Combine that with his mobility on the surface and you’ve got the perfect formula for success on clay.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas concluded: ”He has a gift ... in my opinion, he’s very fast. He covers the court very well so you always have the feeling that, no matter what stroke you use, you're always behind the ball. He always plays with a lot of depth and has a lot of topspin in his shots. On clay, that's not easy to handle."
Denis Shapovalov added: “You realise why he's so good. He knows the tactics perfectly. Even if you know what he is going to do, it is very difficult to react or try to stop it. He is so aggressive on this surface and his tactics are so well built. He reads your punches and is a complete player in clay, but he’s hard to beat on any surface. He is a great champion and his style of play is very hard. He is a fighter. Even if you go up 40/0 against him, you know you can’t lose concentration. He’s never going to give you a free point and it puts enormous pressure on the opponent. It's something that I've always admired about him and I'm trying to incorporate that into my game."
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2Y1j4R5
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