Rafael Nadal ‘wants to be’ in Quito. This Sunday he faces Casper Ruud in the Ecuadorian capital | Other Sports | Sports

Rafael Nadal Y Nicholas Lapenti They held a talk in which the top Grand Slam winner (22) referred to various issues of his daily life and naturally spoke about the duel he will hold against Casper Ruud by Kia Quito Bicentennial Cup on Sunday, November 27 in the Ecuadorian capital.

Rafa and Nico met for many years on the professional ATP circuit and met three times, with two victories for Nadal in Cincinnati and Monte Carlo and one for Lapentti in Bastad.

The Quito Bicentennial Cup awaits Rafael Nadal after the short participation in the ATP Finals

After playing last week the ATP Finalsin Turin (Italy), Nadal was placed second on the world podium in the ATP rankings, in which his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz finished in first position and the Norwegian Ruud in third.

Tickets for the match between Nadal and Ruud in Quito can be purchased at TicketShow both at its points of sale and on its website: www.ticketshow.com.ec.

Nicolás: A couple more days and go back?

Rafa: Now the tour begins and with enthusiasm the truth, I want to be there.

Congratulations on the new member of the family (son). How you feel?

Thank you. Yes, for now, he behaves well, he lets us more or less sleep.

Do you change diapers, bottles, everything?

Yes, I have no choice. It’s a new experience, it’s fun. I like.

You leave on a trip in two days. Do you pack your suitcase from now on, with time, or with an hour to go?

Before when I lived at home my mother helped me a lot, now it is true that Mery (his wife) helps me if I need it; but now, for example, if I go out Monday night, that day in the morning I start, calmly. Neither no, we are very used to it.

That is automatic.

Well yes, more or less you already know what you want and in the end it is always the same, you end up putting things and things and then you come back and what is not sports, half, you don’t even use it.

Enner Valencia: The 10 data of the scoring star of the Ecuadorian team in the FIFA World Cup

Start the World Cup. What is your forecast between Ecuador and Qatar?

I think that Ecuador has much more history than Qatar, which is why Ecuador is my favorite. I don’t know the prognosis, but if it is to bet, I would have to bet on Ecuador, in the end it is a Latin American country, Qatar is a young country in that sense. I think the favorite is Ecuador.

And what about Spain?

It’s a very young team, so I don’t know, we’ll see what happens. It is true that in the Eurocup two years ago we went without great expectations and in the end it was not won by very little, we were in the semifinals and playing very well.

Now I think that Spain has a balanced group, without having huge stars, but I think it is a young group, with enthusiasm, with a good coach. Let’s wait and see what happens, that we start well, in the end in a World Cup there is very little margin. You start off well, you gain confidence and everything changes your perspective, and yet I have seen sometimes, for example, Spain in France 1998 that had a super team, it started badly on the first day and we fell out of the groups being one of the favourites.

We played against three times. I know you remember the first time we played in Bastad and I’m sure the second we played, very important for you.

I remember the one in Bastad, that you beat me, but it was a very long three-way match sets. It was 2003, imagine.

I remember the next one because it was the game that put me number 1 in the world, in Cincinnati, but look, that game was important, but because of what the game was, I remember the one in Bastad more that I lost than the day I got number 1 The one from Cincinnati, I don’t know why, was very young.

The third was in Monte Carlo. I remember that it was the game I played the best against you and the one you beat me the easiest. But let me remind you about Cincinnati, that day was the last game of the night and if you made it to the semifinals, you would become number 1 in the world for the first time. At the end of our game you invited me to join you for dinner and I remember that you asked your uncle Toni for permission to have a couple of Coca Cola. Let’s say that was your prize?

Well, I don’t believe you, I don’t remember, maybe. But tennis, as you well know, you win that day and the next day they sent me home on the fast track.

You are an islander, you like the sea. What do you know about the Galapagos Islands and what are you most excited about getting to know?

I know it’s an incredible place, one of the places with the highest concentration of marine life in the world. They are totally protected islands. I am a lover of diving, it is a special place to dive. I am very fond of nature, I have seen documentaries about the Galapagos and my dream would be one day to be able to navigate the islands and get to know them in depth. The truth is that I would love to do it and since there is not so much left for the withdrawal, I suppose that there will be a little more time later.

I am going to mention four typical food dishes from the Quito area and although you do not know them, I want you to choose one: locro de papa, llapingacho, guinea pig, mote pillo. Which do you choose?

If none of those have fish, I’ll take the locro de papa.

Are you aware that every place you go, for example, on this Latin American tour, there will be people who will see you for the first and only time? What do you think?

For me it is always an illusion to know new places, this is a reality, after Latin America, I have said it a thousand times, it is a very special place for me because the affection of the people is difficult to compare, the way they treat you, the the way sporting events live and I always leave with incredible positive energy from each place I go, which for me, being in Ecuador for the first time, is a motivation, also a responsibility in the end when I am in new places the People want to see you, especially places you have never been, because somehow you have two types of responsibilities.

One, serve the people in the best possible way so that they have a good memory and then, when you’re on the court, try to get as close as possible to your best level, this is the reality, the people who come to see you play go with what is the memory of what a match of the first professional level is and in the end, well, watching tennis on television or live changes radically, I always say it, when you watch the matches on TV the bad thing is done less bad and the good becomes less good, because I think that on television the quality of the shot, the speed, the effects of the ball is not appreciated many times, I think all that live is appreciated much more with which what I try When I play exhibition matches, I always do my best, play a good Show and apart from facing one of the best players in the world without a doubt, it will surely be a very competitive game and I hope people enjoy it.

(D)