Rafael Nadal and Juan Monaco go to Ibiza, hang out on a boat, and chat life, tennis and everything in between. Sounds like a great TV show, right? Well it actually is!
The two long-time friends spent time together in Ibiza recently, where Monaco, who recently retired and is a co-host on the Argentinean talk show ‘Con Amigos Asi‘ got to interview Nadal, who enjoyed some R&R at sea following his Wimbledon fourth round exit to Gilles Muller.
Monaco asked Nadal if he saw the remainder of this season as a head-to-head battle with Roger Federer. Nadal is No1 in the ATP Race to London but Federer is close behind, having claimed a second major of the season, winning Wimbledon earlier this month.
The pair of veterans have hit peak form in 2017, rolling back the years, and have split the first three majors of the season between them.
“The truth is, I always follow my own path,” Nadal told Monaco.
“It’s true that we (Roger and I) are better prepared to compete for nice things at the end of the year but it depends on what we’re able to do from now until the end of the year. We’ll have to wait and see.
“The person who will be able to keep his high level for a longer period of time will have more options to fight for the world No1 ranking. But the same can be said of (Andy) Murray or (Novak) Djokovic and many others who are up there. Maybe they haven’t had the best six months this year but they are also candidates.”
Monaco got Nadal to talk about his private life and whether the Mallorcan was thinking of starting a family soon with his long-time girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello, now that he’s passed the 30-year-old mark.
“You’re older than I am,” Nadal laughed, referring to the fact that Monaco himself is 33 yet unmarried.
Nadal added: “I would love to have children, boys, girls… I’m a person who loves kids and I’m a family guy.”
While he has no immediate plans for starting family, Nadal says he imagines he would do so after he retires from tennis as he feels the life of too much travel is not necessarily an ideal one for kids.
Switching to tennis, Monaco asked Nadal how he’s been able to return to his best level this season, and claim a 10th Roland Garros and sit atop of the ATP Race.
“The first thing is to maintain your ambition to do so, that’s the key,” said the world No2.
“Also my body, for a few months now, has been (cooperating), without that, it would have been practically impossible (to compete at a high level).
“And the truth is, last year I was at a high level before I got injured. I was in a position to go to Roland Garros and try and win it. I’m not saying I would have won it, but I was ready to compete to win it, but it wasn’t meant to be. 2015 was a tough year mentally but after that I believed I could recover my level.”
Does Nadal find himself being extra careful now of his body compared to when he was younger?
“Obviously I am being more careful now than I was when I was younger. When I was younger, we didn’t know that, as young ones, we’re complicated and are doing a terrible job at taking care of ourselves. As you get older, you have the choice to be more conscious of everything needed to try to keep doing what you like,” he explained.
You can watch the full interview below (Spanish).
