Spain's sixth Salad Bowl will always be Roberto Bautista's Salad Bowl, but also Rafael Nadal's Salad Bowl, one more. «A super hero, our MVP» for Feliciano López and «the best thing that can happen to any team» for Captain Bruguera ». The world number one recognized that it has been a "very complicated, physically and mentally" week, but it has been the "perfect" way to close the season. «It is a week that we will never forget. We know how difficult it is to win this and how difficult it will be to defend it, I don't know many teams in which the 5 players have been part of the victory ».

Nadal added that it is " an incredible experience to have lived this at home" and left a reflection on the future of Spanish tennis : "We live from day to day. We had not won the Davis for many years and to win it at home is something incredible, but there is a reality and it is that we are not Canada, we are not 19 or 20 years old , those of us here are people with an advanced age for a tennis player and we need relief . We have lost one or two generations and we have to trust young people. Spain is a powerful country, ”he said.

The Balearic also showed his opinion on the new format of the Davis . "I think there are very good things and others that can be improved, " he began. «It is true that since the calendar is what it is, it is difficult to add days. I think it's an exciting format because all the qualifiers are fought and all the points are important. There is no time for relaxation and it is an open competition for many countries. That makes it exciting, ”he said.

The Balearic recognized that the fact of not playing at home «loses a little» the spirit of the previous format for many selections: «We all like to play at home». But he praised the idea of ​​Gerard Piqué's Kosmos Group and said that the world of tennis "needs a World Cup like this": " Gather the best in one place for seven or ten days . And I think it has been achieved. The format has been successful and I see a great future ».

Focused on the negative, Nadal focused on the controversy of the schedules , protagonists throughout the week: games that end at dawn and that force players and the fans to arrive very late to the hotel or home. «It is a reality that cannot be hidden. On Saturday I entered my room at twenty past three in the morning , Friday at four and Thursday at three. Because it's not just finishing the game, we have to do treatment, attend the press, eat and get to the hotel. This is the only pending and important thing, ”he said.

The solution? "I don't know what it is," he said. "It is difficult to find three stadiums together and covered, but you have to scratch the tournament one more day and that would make the competition practically perfect."

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Canada
  • Spain
  • Gerard Piqué
  • sports
  • Davis cup
  • tennis
  • Rafael Nadal

Davis Cup Spain saves the Davis de Piqué: schedules, empty seats, absences ...

Davis Cup Spain, the best team of the 21st century: six titles since 2000

Davis Cup The Piqué revolution takes off in the Magic Box