Rafael Nadal paused for a second the other day while answering a question in a press conference. He checked his phone then said “sorry, Marc Lopez is calling me” before resuming his answer.
Nadal and Lopez have been friends for the past 13 years, since they were room-mates at the Real Club de Tenis in the latter’s native, Barcelona, playing club matches together.
The Spanish pair have partnered to win four doubles titles since they triumphed on debut in Doha in 2009. Another win in Doha and two victories in Indian Wells together, naturally led to Lopez’s popularity rocketing thanks to his close relationship with Nadal.
“If I wasn’t a friend of Rafa’s, I wouldn’t have any fans, maybe 100,” Lopez jokingly told Sport360 between his matches at the French Open.
“Because I have a good relationship with Rafa, his fans think ‘ah, Marc’. But it’s good. I’m very happy with all the fans I have.”
This fortnight in Paris, he is staying at the same hotel as the world No1, has practiced with him more than once and during their down time, they’ve been playing lots of cards – Nadal’s latest obsession which Lopez confirms his friend is exceptionally good at.
“I always knew (Nadal was going to be this successful). The feeling is that with Rafa, everything he does, everything he plays, he does it full, full at 100 per cent. When he’s playing PlayStation, he’s focused on winning the match. When he’s playing golf also… everything he does he has to do it well,” explains Lopez.
“Apart from the fact that he has a great forehand, a great backhand…etc… he’s such a hard-worker. He puts in a lot of work on court. He’s also an unbelievable person, not just as a player, but as a person. He’s an example, a role model for me and I think for a lot of people.”
When he speaks of Nadal, Lopez lights up and one can tell he is full of admiration of his megastar pal. But like many people in Spain at the moment, Lopez worries about the future of tennis in his home country when Nadal decides to call it quits on his career.
Despite having seven players in the top-30 alone, Lopez acknowledges that Spain mostly focuses on Nadal, which can often be unfair to the many other Spaniards excelling in the sport at the moment.
“In Barcelona, when Rafa is playing, it’s full. When (Nicolas) Almagro is playing in the first round, it’s not full. It’s a huge difference. When (David) Ferrer is playing also not too many people are watching,” says Lopez.
“But that’s how it is in Spain. I think there are so many good players in Spain but the people are only following one guy.
“Rafa in Spain is the best sportsman in our history. He portrays great values, like humility, hard work… the people are almost only behind Rafa.
“Roberto Bautista Agut can walk in the street and no one will know him. If he was Italian, he’ll be more famous. But in Spain, it’s not like this. Tommy Robredo, a very good player, a lot of tournaments won, was No5 in the world, but in Spain, he’s not so famous.”
So what happens when Nadal hangs up his racquet?
“When Rafa retires, a lot of people in Spain won’t watch tennis anymore,” predicts Lopez. “I don’t know why. Maybe if a new young Spanish player comes up and is very good but like Rafa… I think it’s impossible. It’s difficult.
“Rafa for Spanish tennis is very good, because thanks to Rafa there is more television, there’s more money in Davis Cup. So Rafa for us is very important.
“There are many good things because of him, but also some bad things like for example no one knowing who Roberto Bautista Agut is.
“But in general, Rafa playing tennis is much better for everyone. I think it’s more advantages than disadvantages.”
Lopez is playing the doubles semi-finals in Roland Garros on Thursday alongside his current partner Marcel Granollers, after they upset top seeds and defending champions the Bryan twins in the previous round.
The Catalan was ranked as high as 106 in the world in singles 10 years ago, but has since dedicated himself to doubles. He has captured 10 doubles titles so far and his biggest achievement was lifting the ATP World Tour Finals trophy at the O2 Arena in 2012 alongside Granollers.
“The biggest moment of my career was when we won the Masters in London because my dad died that year, 2012, and then we won the Masters it was very emotional for me. I signed the camera ‘te quiero papa’,” Lopez recalls.
“It is a very important title for me in a year that was a very difficult for me because I lost my father. But it was also the best year of my career. It had the saddest day and the happiest day of my life.”
Lopez says the goal now is to win a Grand Slam title and he’s liking their chances on the French clay. He’s slipped in the rankings to 29 but is hoping him and Marcel can reclaim some of their 2012 magic to climb their way back up.
“I think that if we get back to enjoying our time playing on the court, we’ll go back up,” he says, after revealing he had been struggling with a calf injury.
“We’re playing well and if physically everything goes well, maybe we won’t get back to No3 in the world but for sure we’ll go up.”
Asked what can be done to attract more attention to doubles, Lopez concedes there’s not much that can be done.
“If the good singles players play doubles then yes they can attract more attention to doubles. But it’s difficult for Rafa to play doubles. It’s difficult for the ATP to get fans for doubles,” he says.
“They changed a lot of rules – the super tiebreak, the no-ad scoring… I think there’s nothing to be done.
“I think the ATP have done well to shorten the matches for a player who is playing singles and doubles is one day. But normally here (in Grand Slams) we play five sets and for singles players, playing doubles is not good.”
But does it upset him when he plays to empty stadiums sometimes?
“Yes it does upset me but we accept that. When I play with Rafa, the stadium is full. When I play with Marcel there’s nothing,” he adds.
