Desde o início Era Nadal não houve mais final espanhola em Roland Garros

Lembro como se fosse ontem de quando vi dois espanhóis na final de Roland Garros. Era 1995 e Sergi Bruguera derrotava Alberto Berasategui para conquistar o bicampeonato em Paris. Neste domingo, a capital francesa recebe uma outra decisão espanhola entre o heptacampeão Rafael Nadal e David Ferrer, que joga a sua primeira final de Grand Slam.

Dominantes no saibro, presentes em diversas finais de Roland Garros, nenhum outro espanhol depois que Nadal venceu o seu primeiro Tropheé des Mousquetaires, voltou a jogar uma final em Paris.

De 1993, ano do primeiro triunfo de Bruguera, 10 espanhóis jogaram a final de Roland Garros. Bruguera foi campeão em 93 e 94 e vice em 97, perdendo a final para Guga.

Moyá e Corretja decidiram o título de 98, com Moyá recebendo o Trofeu das mãos de Pelé.

Três anos depois, Corretja voltava à final em Roland Garros, mas perderia para Guga.

A decisão de 2002 foi entre dois espanhóis novamente, com Albert Costa ganhando de Juan Carlos Ferrero, que viria a ser campeão em 2003.

Dali em diante, a Espanha se resumiu a Nadal.

Gaudio ganhou em 2004, com vitória sobre o compatriota argentino Guillermo Coria.

A Era Nadal começou em 2005 e dali em diante só deu ele em Paris. Almagro, Robredo, Moyá e Ferrer pararam nas quartas-de-final e no ano passado, Ferrer chegou até a semi.

O mesmo Ferrer decidirá o título com Nadal, na primeira final de Grand Slam que disputa.

Se aos olhos dos fãs o número 2 espanhol parece um jogador sem muita graça, no circuito é elogiadíssimo por seu jogo de pernas e devolução. O tio e técnico de Rafael, Toni Nadal, chegou a afirmar em entrevista para a imprensa francesa que Ferrer se movimenta inclusive melhor do que Djokovic. “Ele não precisa mais provar que não é um jogador de 2º nível. Os resultados mostram. Já fez semifinal de Grand Slam, ganhou Master 1000..” Palavras do tio Toni.

Talvez seja difícil entender Ferrer porque ele também não é dos mais emotivos em quadra e fala pouco fora dela. Prefere viver sem grandes extravagâncias, longe dos flashes e do glamour que a vida de tenista top te propicia.

“Eu sei que vocês querem que eu fale de drama, de algo a mais, mas não tenho o que dizer,”  foi o comentário dele em um encontro com alguns jornalistas que participei antes do jogo com Tsonga, no Village de Roland Garros. Os “periodistas”espanhóis tentaram extrair informações de Ferrer de todos os jeitos, mas não conseguiram. E eles já sabem que ele é assim, um lutador em quadra, fiel – está há anos com o mesmo técnico – Javier Piles – e os mesmos patrocinadores, mas um homem de poucas palavras.

O que ele e todo o público espera é que a final não seja de poucos games. Todos já consideraram a vitória de Nadal sobre Djokovic, por  64 36 61 67 97, uma decisão antecipada.

Ferrer não precisou fazer a metade do esforço do compatriota para chegar à final. Ganhou de Tsonga por 61 76 62 e mais parecendo o Nadal de outros anos, vai à final sem ter perdido nenhum set.

A entrevista pós jogo de Ferrer deixa claro que ele não quer fazer papel de coadjuvante na Terra de Nadal.

Confira alguns trechos.

Q.  Congratulations.  Can you give us an idea as to how excited you are to be in the final finally?

DAVID FERRER:  I’m very, very happy, sure, no?  This tournament is very special for me and to be the first final of Grand Slam in Roland Garros is amazing, no?

Now I want to enjoy this moment, to rest tomorrow, and to try my best in the final.

Q.  It’s come in your 42nd major.  Did you ever believe that you would get to this point?  Did you worry that you wouldn’t make a Grand Slam final?

DAVID FERRER:  Well, it’s a dream for me to be a final of a Grand Slam, and Roland Garros is more important for me.  Now, of course, the final I will fight.  I will try to do of me, and I don’t know.  I will play against Rafael, and it’s very important for us because, you know, we are Spanish players and this is very important for the country, also.

Q.  Rafa’s only lost one match here, so is it hard not to think he’s maybe a little bit unbeatable here?  And do you think you can be the guy to make the second beating of Rafa here?

DAVID FERRER:  Well, is very difficult to beat Rafael in all the surfaces, but in clay court is more difficult. I think I need to play my best tennis for to beat him.  I need to play very aggressive all the match, and to do my best tennis.

Q.  How do you feel from the body, like the physical condition?  You were much faster than Rafa today.  Do you think that could play a role in the final?

DAVID FERRER:  Well, is important for me to be ready to play the final with good conditions. But I think Rafael, he’s going to recovery, sure.  He’s already play four hours and a half, and tomorrow he will have to rest and he will be ready, sure, after tomorrow, no?  He’s the best performance on physical, no?

Q.  What is the best clay match you played against Rafa recently?

DAVID FERRER:  This year it was in Rome, sure.

Q.  Can you explain?

DAVID FERRER:  Well, this year it was in Rome because I did a very good game.  I played very aggressive all the match, and finally I lost with him because he was better.

Q.  How difficult is it to play a local player?  Did you have to do something special to try and block the fact that most of the spectators were going to be against you?

DAVID FERRER:  No, is not difficult to play with a local player.  You know, we play a lot of times of our career.  It’s difficult to beat Rafael, but, you know, not because he’s Spanish player.  It’s because he’s a very good player.  Nothing else.It’s going to be my first final in a Grand Slam.  I am sure I am going to be a little bit nervous, but I will try to move a lot and to play very good.  I hope to play a good game.

Q.  I think it was five years ago and you were set to play Rafael in Rome.  The press conference beforehand you said, We Spanish players, we find it very difficult to even think we can beat Rafael on clay.

DAVID FERRER:  Uh‑huh.

Q.  He’s so much better than everyone else.

DAVID FERRER:  Yeah.

Q.  Do you still think that?

DAVID FERRER:  Yeah, of course it’s difficult to beat him.  He’s the best in clay court.

Q.  (Off microphone.)

DAVID FERRER:  I don’t know.  Djokovic, I think he won to him in Monte‑Carlo, but he’s the No. 1 of the world.  Of course Rafael and me improve our game, but of course Rafael is the favorite for to win Roland Garros.

Q.  Even though you probably will have some nerves going into this first Grand Slam final, do you think you can go in with the mentality of nothing to lose?  I mean, you know you’ve lost to Rafa so many times.  He’s the big favorite.  So do you think that will allow you to maybe play a little bit freer?

DAVID FERRER:  Well, I know he’s the favorite, but I am going to be focused every point.  I will try to do my best. But I am not thinking about Rafael, he’s better than me or not.  I will try to fight a lot and to play very good match, no?  After that, you know, in the match gonna depend on a lot of things, no?

Q.  This is the opportunity of your life, isn’t it?

DAVID FERRER:  The opportunity of my life is to make it to the final.  I have already reached a final in the past, but there is still a lot for me to do.  Defeating Rafa is very difficult on any surface; it’s even worse on clay.  But once again, I’m going to try to play a beautiful match.  I don’t want to think of whether it’s the occasion, the opportunity of my life, if it’s a dream. If you start thinking like that, it’s not very positive.

Q.  You said you expected a very difficult semifinal with a Davis Cup type of atmosphere.  This was not the case.  It was much easier, wasn’t it?

DAVID FERRER:  Well, yes, you know, I had a good start in the match.  The crowd was pretty balanced then.  Of course, I mean, they supported Jo‑Wilfried, but I thought they would support him even more. But there were very fair play.

Q.  Was it easy?

DAVID FERRER:  The match wasn’t easy, but, you know, when there were difficult moments, the crowd was not a problem.  I managed to cope with the pressure.

Q.  How are you going to prepare for the final?  Are you going to change your routine?  That’s my first question.  And my second question is:  You already won a Masters 1000.  Are you going to do anything different?

DAVID FERRER:  No, I’m going to do just as usual.  I will stay with my family.  I’ll practice.  As for your second question, each match is different.  I managed to win my first final in Masters 1000, but this upcoming match is going to be a bit more complicated.

Q.  Congratulations.  You made it.  You reached a final.  Can you tell us what you’re feeling at the moment?

DAVID FERRER:  Well, I’m happy.  I’m very happy  I can’t relax really because there is still the final that I need to play.  It’s a very important match and I want to do well.  I want to play a great match at the standards of a final of a Grand Slam. So I don’t want to celebrate right now saying, Okay, I made it to the final.  No, I want to be well‑prepared and I want to get to the final with a lot of dynamism and I’m really willing to win.

Q.  Do you remember your other matches against Rafael?

DAVID FERRER:  Well, it doesn’t matter, does it?  I won once when we were kids.  I won to him on clay.  Then I also won on faster surfaces, but each match is different, anyway.  So I need to focus on the now and I need to make the most of all my shots.

Diana Gabanyi

Foto: Cynthia Lum