David (almost) everywhere...

Some of you may remember it, back in May, shortly after David's surgery, I wrote a post about what I thought the next few months would be like for this blog. Back then, I thought that the Argentine press would probably take no more than an occasional, cursory interest in David, for as long as he was being kept sidelined. Little did I know...

So here's the latest round of the "David media marathon". First of all, I just came across this video, a special appearance of David on the show Tenis Pro. On a training bike at a gym in Buenos Aires (and with Pico working out next to him), David talks about a camping trip he undertook with a couple of friends. But even if you don't understand a word he's saying, this clip is definitely worth a look, simply because of David's mimics...



I can't embed the video here. But you can watch it, following this link.
Highly recommended.


But that's not all. Last night, another TV interview with David got aired on Fox Sports, this time as part of a program called 360°. I didn't get to see it but Tamar recorded part of the audio and also took a couple of photos off of her TV set, kindly allowing me to use both (thanks).

Update
There's a video of the first part of this interview (the one Tamar didn't record)...



You can watch it here.
This first part is all about David's injury and recovery. He says he's fine but he's still not allowed to run as that could endanger his hip. But he swims his 3000 metres and also trains at the gym and seems pretty happy with the shape he's in. Still, he feels that there's not too much time left until his comeback. After an injury that could have ended up costing him the three or four years he still wants to play [I guess it's official now, he really doesn't know yet how long he'll go on playing; he says something different in each and every interview.] For athletes it's very difficult, being injured and it affects your body as well as your head. He was lucky enough to have never had any serious injuries that required a long pause until this one. But he enjoys the time he gets to spend back home with his family and friends. Hip injuries like his one, David sees as a fairly new phenomenon in tennis. But tennis, like all sports, evolves and the game changes. Tennis has become a lot faster. And that affects the way you move on court, leading to injuries like his. During his time with it, some weeks were okay, others were not. Until eventually, he couldn't go on anymore. It was tough because he couldn't play his best tennis, kept thinking about the pain and simply didn't enjoy playing anymore. Suffering already in the first round, whether against a good or not so good opponent and not being able to train because of the pain. And that's the point where you just can't go on.




The range of topics in the rest of the interview was once again pretty much the usual, from questions about his comeback to Davis Cup (as can be seen on the photos)...
About his comeback, he says that his goals remain the same but that after surgery, he'll have to see what kind of shape he'll be in. Right now, he's feeling good, there are no problems with his hip, he should be okay to play again. But he's also aware that a lot will depend on his head, or rather what will be going on inside it. Apart from that, he once again defends his right to do what he wants in his spare time. And repeats that he has always been aware that the professional career of a tennis player is necessarily bound to be short one, more reason to be also interested in other things. Like for example, if I heard it correctly, golf. The problem with rally racing is that you can't really do it anymore when you have your own family. Asked about what it takes to beat Federer and Nadal, David says you have to walk on court, believing you can beat them, just like with any other player. You have to see yourself as meeting them eye to eye. The difference compared to other sports is that in tennis, the surface plays an important role. Playing against Rafa on clay is one thing, playing against him on a fast surface is another. But at the end of the day, it's just another match and you play well or badly.
Davis Cup. And last year's final. David repeats that there were various problems, surrounding the final and mentions Delpo being tired and in bad shape after Shanghai. Next year, the problem will be playing away ties but if Delpo and David are in good shape, the Argentine team should be okay [more on that below]. How difficult a Davis Cup tie is to play also depends at what point during the season it takes place and whether you feel confident at that moment or not. But even if he doesn't feel confident going into a tie, the special feeling of playing Davis Cup, of playing for his country makes up for it, for him. The Tour gets ever more tough, more competitive, more demanding. And you have to make that decision, whether you're going to play Davis Cup, or not.
His foundation. It started one year ago and it's about giving disabled persons the chance to do sports, not just tennis. After all, he's not just a tennis player, he does all kinds of things. After all, he doesn't like sitting around at home. [Though apparently, he likes sitting down with a reporter to be interviewed, these days.]




While David is optimistic about Argentina's future in Davis Cup, a recent article from clarin.com claims that Delpo may choose not to play the first-round tie against Sweden in March. He hasn't made his decision yet but that tie is apparently not a fixed part of his schedule. Looks like we might be in for a lot more Davis Cup drama...

Nalbandian al natural

I'm back from Vienna and here it is, the latest article about David from La Nacion. Complete with lots of new photos and the video above (thanks Tamar and tennisace). I'll admit that I find it a bit funny how the author of this article keeps claiming that he's the first journalist David has allowed to visit him in his hometown when we've already had articles like this one before and especially from La Nacion. Anyway, here it is. The title is easy enough to understand in Spanish: Nalbandian al natural...

By Maximiliano Boso
Standing, David Nalbandian chats with one of the local boys at the Mumú Mamá, the bar he bought last summer and which still maintains the appearance of what it used to be, one of the biggest gas stations in Unquillo. He breaks off the conversation when he sees the figure of a woman, walking calmly down the Avenida San Martin. "What are you doing, mom, everything okay? Where are you going?". Shortly afterwards, Alda says goodbye to her son but not without warning him, "Don't act so crazy, eh!" She walks on to do some shopping.



"Unquillo hasn't changed in 40 years," Nalbandian thinks aloud. This corner of the Sierras Chicas, 24 kilometres from Córdoba city, is connected to Villa Allende, Mendiolaza and Rio Ceballos by the main artery of the Avenida San Martin, and it continues to look much like it always has. Just like back in the days when grandfather Nalbandian's book shop was across the street, here on the Avenida San Martin, and he was "the people's photographer."
Founded early in the last century as a vacation site for wealthy families, this is where the sculptor Lino Enea Spilimbergo still has his modest houses, along with all the necessary shops and businesses, friends and family. Limited hours, where the siesta is nonnegotiable and the barbecue a ritual. Here, David Nalbandian is not a tennis player, nor a Masters [Cup] champion, and here he never was one of the three best players on the planet, someone who could keep up with giants like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Here, he is the Gringo or David, one of them. Here, he is the son of Norberto (his father, who died in late 2004) and Alda, who you can see crossing the street just after breakfast. He's the younger brother of Javier and Dario. Vicky's boyfriend. Here, he comes to discharge energy when the electricity of the circuit gives him the creeps. Here he found refuge during the last months when hip surgery sidelined him from the sport to which he will return next month. Here he is happy. "The whole recovery program is going as planned. I followed all the steps and I feel better every day. The training sessions are getting more intensive," he says and seems eager to return to the court.



It is not easy to pervade the privacy of an elite athlete like Nalbandian. Individual sport and the company that goes with it give you the feeling that the tennis circuit is a meat grinder. It creates impervious personalities. Therefore, this is the first time that this man from Unquillo opens the doors to his life for a journalist.
Though he is a thrill seeker, here, Nalbandian doesn't do anything like swimming with sharks or bungee jumping. Even though he tried driving rally cars, another one of his passions, perhaps the second one after tennis. "This place means everything to me. Here I was born, raised, it's where I live and where I always return to. Here I am normal, one of them. I have my friends, I live very quietly, here's where I feel comfortable, where my family is, the things I love, my brothers, my girlfriend, my mom, my friends. Where they all are. Being here gives you another rhythm of life. It doesn't matter whether there's football, whether we're having a beer at the bar or get together to eat. But it's not like I just lie on my back all day, I can't stand it."



The bar is the starting point on the trail of discovering the other side of a professional tennis player. A meeting place anytime of the day, for meeting anyone, but especially his friends, like "Gordo" Bernasconi, a guy who if he didn't own the pizza joint "13" a hundred metres from the house where David lives with his mother, he'd probably abandon his tables to become a comedian, he's simply unstoppable. But Gordo also has a special function when Nalbandian plays Davis Cup. He's the leader of the fan group with the drum. Therefore, at the bar of the Mumú Mamá there hangs a photo of all those who travelled to Moscow for the 2006 Davis Cup final that Argentina lost to Russia.



Passionate about brands, Nalbandian enjoys driving his special favourite, a white BMW X6, a tank, something like a car with the dimensions of a smaller truck. On the road to Villa Allende, where he trains, he passes the Colegio Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes [his former school], where he never finished his studies for the sake of playing tennis, something he doesn't plan to return to. "That's over."



A long way away from the days when she played on the women's tour with Gabriela Sabatini, Ines Gorrochategui, owner of the club, greets him as usual. Distracted, David walks up to the bar and asks, "Do you know where my racquet is?" On the court he is expected by one of his brothers. Javier, the eldest, who was his coach at some stages of his career (nowadays it's Luis Lobo), or Dario, also a coach, but above all the one who turned David into a Bon Jovi fanatic.
"Dario lives behind my house, 50 metres away. He has a family and two children. Javier did a lot of coaching when I was a boy. He lives in Rio Ceballos, is married and has two children. I live with my mom." He laughs as if it's an insult. David turns 28 on January 1.
But then he picks up the theme of his relationship with his brothers again. "They helped me a lot in the beginning. Javier is very focused on training, he loves tennis. And Dario, he's more like an accountant. Seeing him there are more questions. The three of us, we are all very different. I've had good times and bad times with my brothers. They are much older than me. Javier ten years and Dario seven. When you're a kid that's a big difference. Sometimes it's good for you, because they take care of you like they're your dad . But there are other things you don't share. With Javier there were times when all was well and others when we fought because he was my coach," David says, after playing ball with Matías, a kid of 14, who breaks out in a sweat just from seeing him.
Nalbandian also misses playing golf, he can't currently practice because of his hip problem. He talks about it as he walks past the gates of the Córdoba Golf Club in Villa Allende, where a huge image of his friend Pato Cabrera greets him, across the street from a small commercial complex owned by Gato Romero, another well-known golfer from Cordoba.
Back in Unquillo, Nalbandian slows down in the middle of the street and honks at the door of the butcher's shop of Dario Torres, nephew of football referee Hector Baldassi from Rio Ceballos. He talks to him, leaning out the window. The subject is horses, a passion which during the last few months has seen Nalbandian in constant contact with his friend, the polo player Adolfito Cambiaso. As a boy, Nalbandian also rode horses, amongst other sports, and he calls himself a "restless ass". Just a few metres further down the road, on a corner, is the bar El Trebol, out of which emerges a dark-haired boy with tousled hair who shouts something unintelligible. "It's like this every day, and today is Monday?" said Nalbandian, laughing heartily.
"Come to my place for dinner and we'll talk," David invites a friend, who asks, "Are you going to cook?" "Cook? And why do I still live with my mom?" Nalbandian replies offhandedly. His home is the only place that is absolutely sacred to Nalbandian. No way of getting in there. Alda treats him just like she did when he was still a child, she makes his bed, prepares the food, pampers him, takes care of him. Norberto was the only one here who set boundaries for a boy who never obeyed.
"My mom is a phenomenon. When I'm here I try to eat with her. 'Empanadas árabes infernales' and also 'kepi', an Armenian dish. Every afternoon she calls me or sends me text messages, asking, hey, what are you doing tonight? Then I send her off to play cards with a group of friends. She's like me, she doesn't want to stay home all day. She's preparing to go on a trip to Machu Picchu. She's a little tired now because she had three boys and it was not easy. For example, I don't make my bed, I don't do anything. At best, I make a café latte, because I like whipping the coffee. I don't do the dishes, I don't cook. Because I don't know how. I swear I don't know. Maybe when I retire I'll take a little course. Meanwhile, I told Vicky to learn from my mom."
Near the bus station are the two hard courts built by his father, Norberto, and other cousins and friends for playing with and against each other. They are now abandoned. The small pavilion is busy. The lots were sold long ago. Some kids play ball. Here's where the tennis player David Nalbandian was born, who now wants to buy the land and rebuild the courts for his brothers to give lessons and also for the people to use them.
"My dad was a guy who set boundaries. My mom let me get away with more. I think, as far as I remember, he was a virtuous man who tried to give the best he had or could to his children. In that sense, I was very well educated, with principles. That I'll always be grateful for because it was very important in my childhood to have someone telling me this is okay and this is not okay. Though sometimes, not even he could stop me because of my personality. But he was the one most listened to and respected. In exchange for his efforts to help me, all he ever asked of me was to arrive as well-prepared as possible."



The bar is again the meeting point for football and a barbecue every Monday night as the tennis player is just leaving the village. David calls a little boy with stunningly clear eyes who's doing pirouettes on the street. It's Pedrito, the butcher's son. The mother leaves him and walks on. Nalbandian buys an ice cream, sits down beside him. He has a soft spot for the boy.
Gradually, the friends are coming together. "El Turco" Antún, who is a car dealer and supplies the cars whenever Nalbandian travels to Buenos Aires, Gordo Bernasconi, Hernan Biasotto, the Arabian Fabian Farah, who works on the field, and his brother, Gaby Farah.

"Are there times when you want to be alone?"
"Sometimes yes. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes I try. Being alone is good because you think and make plans in peace, without having to discuss anything with anyone. But it's not something I do all the time. Well, when I've lost, I sometimes like to stay in a room just for a couple of hours but it doesn't happen all the time. A defeat has to hurt a lot for me to stay in my room for two hours, being pissed off. I love being active. There are not many times when I'm alone."
David analyzes his future here where he was born and which will also be his destination when he eventually agrees to move in with Victoria Bosch, his girlfriend of 11 years. In addition to having a football pitch, he'll have a tennis court, a house on top of one of the three hills that surround the place, another house for guests, a pool, a polo field, a barbecue area and a farm. "At 60, I will still be living here, quietly, but doing things. A day or two I'll spend staring at the sunset, after that I need to do something," he says.
Despite Vicky's insistence, she lives with her parents in Rio Ceballos and has a shop in Córdoba, David still manages to squirm out of this. "Eleven years is an important number. She always goes back home to sleep and tries to arrange her work so that she can accompany me on some of my trips. About marrying, I have cured her of her fears. What she wants now is that we move in together. It's a tug of war. I'm making preparations for us to move here."
Being together for 11 years seems utopian in these days where footbal and also tennis players have their groupies. "I know it's not easy, but you get used to other people saying all kinds of things. Luckily I've come to understand that and I can handle it. It's not the easiest part of the relationship. It's not the same now it was when we were 20, but we get along well. She's very relaxedl. We can talk about anything. We discuss a thousand different things, like any other couple. We talk about our plans for life but she respects my schedule, my job."
The barbecue, which gets repeated on Thursdays at noon (without football) comes to an end after a long meal, complete with the typical jokes of an all-male get-together where the meat is served with bread and eaten by hand. Wine with Coca-Cola ("if you drink this you die alone") is prepared by "La Rata" and everyone pays their 15 pesos, including Nalbandian. It's time to go looking for Vicky now, who's at her parents, in order to have a siesta at the house where David lives with his mother. For Vicky, this time is precious. Having him around is far from normal. "I told her if we'll get through these six months without fighting, we'll stay together. These six months (the injury pause) are what my life will be like after I retire. I'll be mostly here but I'll also go to Buenos Aires, I'll travel, ski, watch the matches of the national [football] team with my friends, play polo with Adolfito. I see myself doing thousands of things with her, going to the movies in Cordoba, or enjoying a good meal, like now."

Del Potro and the Davis Cup
Juan Martin del Potro recently achieved what David Nalbandian failed to achieve repeatedly and what still remains to be one of his biggest goals - winning a Grand Slam. As the US Open champion, Del Potro got all the praise, even from someone who still has his differences with Delpo's father and with his coach Franco Davin, differences which were exposed during the painful defeat in the Davis Cup final against Spain at Mar del Plata.
"What Del Potro did was spectacular. It's not easy to win a Grand Slam. I watched the final on TV and it always makes you a little nervous. He showed that he's playing at a high level because you have to have a lot of confidence to beat Federer the way he beat him. I hope for him that he'll be able to maintain it over time. He's young and has a lot to give," says Nalbandian, who after two failed attempts, also has this one supreme dream: to win the Davis Cup.
"His success is important for those kids who can see themselves in us. And may also serve as an impulse for winning the Davis Cup."



Politics and the country
Last year, David Nalbandian launched a charitable foundation that bears his name and to which he tried to dedicate more of his time while being in Argentina. "It developed from the need of the people, someone asks you, then another one asks you and it was all very disorganized. That led to me, trying to do my best to help because it is difficult to say yes to someone and no to someone else. I think that there are many ways the state can't do it alone and requires assistance, instruments, infrastructure, many things that we try to help with, with the foundation. We are at a difficult point in time because of the economic crisis. But this happens everywhere in the world now."
Nalbandian says he doesn't like politics but that he tries to stay informed. He has no ideology in that sense. "It's a complicated matter. I don't see myself as a politician, it makes you age 1000 years in the course of 4. But never say never," says Nalbandian, who appeared in an ad for Cristina Kirchner's presidential campaign. "Yes, I did that because I was asked to do it. You cannot say no to the President (then Néstor Kirchner). But I'm not a radical, or a Peronist, or anything. I believe in those people who want to do things right. The goal is to act in concert. I don't think that who's in charge today should destroy what has been done before. That's what happens here and in other countries it's very different. Argentina is a very rich country, but we've never finished exploiting it for one reason or another. And it won't be easy," says Nalbandian, a big fan of Australia, who believes that Argentina can still become more like this model.





The eagerly awaited return
Nalbandian's return will take place at the exhibition tournament which will be held at the stadium Aldo Cantoni, San Juan, December 12 and 13, where Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Cañas and Nicolas Massu will also play. Nalbandian's last match was on May 4 at Estoril, where he lost to Chile's Paul Capdeville in the first round.
"I look forward to it, not to the nerves that come with playing, but because how much I long to return to the court. After so many months, you want to be back there. Anyway, I know I have to go little by little, without making myself crazy, because it is not an easy injury."

His relationship with the press
Journalism was never one of Nalbandian's favourite things. Instead, he has always regarded talking to the media as an obligation. "I'm quite difficult, in terms of character, personality, temperament, however you want to put it."
He explains why he disagrees with some of the opinions [about him]. "To be inside the Top Ten for four or five years, to win a Masters [Cup], to be a finalist at Wimbledon, that's not something that just happens. You don't do this kind of thing, sitting at home, watching videos or having a barbecue in Unquillo. What this is about is that I need these things. To come here, to have fun. And a lot of people don't understand this."
"Sometimes, it happens with the people, as well. I'm a normal guy and I want to be left in peace. And journalists, they think that you have to meet them when they want, at whatever time they want and as often as they want. And sometimes I want to be left in peace just as you would want to, being at your home. That shocked a lot of them. And because of that they'll never stop trying to find out who I really am. I think that journalists are never satisfied with one sentence. It is difficult to make everybody happy."

Meanwhile, a news item has appeared on the official site, claiming that David has tentatively set a date for retiring from tennis - when he's 30. I'll just quote the English version here:

"King" David has set a date: he says he thinks of withdrawing from competition after his 30th birthday. There are still two more years to go since he will be 28 next January 1st. His idea is to go on playing a couple of years more and try to achieve his greatest dream: the Davis Cup. "In this stage, I will see how I am year after year. And it depends a lot on how my hip is, if I feel well and competitive", he said. The player from Cordoba said: "If I start feeling limitations, I will have to reconsider the situation."

This doesn't sound like anything has really been decided yet. But it also sounds like David wants to go and see how well he's able to play after surgery. And if he's not able to play all that well... Who knows what will happen.

A Question of Ranking

In some of his latest interviews, David declared that he doesn't care about his ranking. I don't usually care all that much about his ranking, either. After all, it has constantly been high enough for years to always grant him both entrance and a good seeding at all the tournaments he played. And it even remained surprisingly high after David played what was to be his last match this year at Estoril.
But now it has begun, David's slide down the rankings. Very slowly, so far. Still, the question is - how far down will it go and what will the consequences be for David when he returns next year. I'm no real expert when it comes to the intricacies of the ranking system. But here's an attempt at giving you some sort of idea what the next months will bring for David and for us, his fans.

As of this week, David is still ranked #20. Miraculously only one place lower than during the week of Estoril (and having climbed back as high as #14 without playing in the meantime). From the 1715 points he currently has, those for the two last events he played last season will come off before the end of this year. First 350 for reaching the final at Basel, 2008. Those will drop next Monday, which will leave him with 1365 points and see him lose another six to eight places.
The big fall, however, will come the week after that. Because that's when David's 700 points for making the final at last year's Masters in Paris will come off, leaving him with 665. And although this will still be enough to keep him safely inside the Top 100 (probably somewhere around 80-90, I think), it means that he'll start the new season with a ranking so low that he won't really have much of a choice but to rely on getting wildcards or using his protected ranking for making it into the main draw without having to qualify.
- And it might get a lot worse than that. It's impossible to foresee how well David will be able to play at his first tournament in Auckland. But what's clear is that directly after Auckland, the 250 points for David's victory at Sydney this year will come off (415). And that means he could then very easily find himself outside of the Top 100, unless he goes really far at Auckland... The "good news" is that at the Australian Open, David only has 45 points to defend.

David said in his interviews that he'll rely on a combination of wildcards and protected ranking in order to be able to play the tournaments he wants to play and that he has the first half of the season covered that way. But while this at least means that he won't have to qualify for the main draw, it doesn't mean that he'll get seeded. The protected ranking (#15 or #16), which he'll be able to use for eight tournaments next season, merely means that he'll be allowed into the main draw as if he was ranked #15/#16. So: no seeding, no protection from meeting the top players in the early rounds...
I guess we can only hope that he'll get lucky with the draws, especially at the first couple of tournaments. And that, provided his hip is okay, he'll be able to find his form again. Soon.


Announcement:
Vamos David will take a break next week as I'll be in Vienna for the "Bank Austria Tennis Trophy". - A trip I booked when David initially committed to playing that event... But well, I'm still looking forward to it. :)
Krystle will be keeping an eye on the blog while I'm away.

Before I'll leave, here's another video of David's very first training session. A bit outdated by now, I know. But I only just discovered it. And in this clip, you can at least actually see something. I.e. more than in the previous ones.
You can watch it here.

David's Tour Comeback to take place in Auckland

As reported by the news agency AP, for example via Yahoo (thanks Krystle) and stated by tournament director Richard Palmer on the Heineken Open's website, David has received a wildcard for Auckland and will play his first ATP tournament since Estoril this year in New Zealand. (So I heard it correctly in the Fox interview.)
It's not his first appearance at this event, though it's been a while since he chose to play it (back in 2002 and 2003), having preferred the Kooyong exhibition or Sydney to prepare for the Australian Open in recent years.
Now, the tournament director is happy to have him back. “Nalbandian is a quality player who has something special in his game as witnessed by his Grand Slam record of having reached a final and several semifinals,” says Heineken Open tournament director, Richard Palmer. “He’s the sort of player who has the ability to really challenge for the Heineken Open title and get back into the top 10.” (From the tournament website.)

This year, Auckland apparently featured its own live webcast but in the past, a stream has also been available via the betting sites. Let's hope that this will be the case again, next January.

A slightly different Interview with David...

So much for David being too busy for interviews at the moment. But this time, it wasn't one of the sportswriters for Óle or La Nacion he was talking to. This time, David was interviewed for the "mujer", i.e. "woman" section of Clarin. So instead of discussing the usual set of topics, from recovery and ranking to Davis Cup, David had to face some questions about his private life...
And that's why this interview is definitely - different.
(I'd like to thank tennisace for finding this one. As I certainly wouldn't have discovered it myself. Not in the "woman" section...)

David Nalbandian
by Carola Birgin

David swam three thousand metres today. He also trained on court for a couple of hours. He rigorously carried out his workout routine. He's tired. He keeps repeating that almost like a mantra. It's a state (of body and soul) he knows by heart. It came into his life early on, to stay until today. Pushing his physical limits has been a part of his daily life ever since he was 8 years old. "You learn to live with this feeling that you can't give any more. It can be okay for a couple of days but then, well, the fatigue starts mounting up and it turns into a constant state," Nalbandian says without complaining. At the same time, he's currently sidelined. In May he had surgery for a hip injury that wouldn't allow him to go on playing. With the same discipline which saw him climb to #14 in the ranking [apparently, he was ranked 14 at the time of the interview], he now approaches his rehabilitation: meticulous, without skipping any steps or rushing the process. And now there is a date for his return, in December, in San Juan. An exhibition event where he'll play alongside Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Cañas and Nicolas Massu. He says that he's relaxed, waiting for it. "When I feel one hundred percent recovered, I'll start being nervous but not right now."
At the moment, his life is very different from what it's usually like. He doesn't travel. He doesn't play matches. He only trains (very hard as usual, of course), sees his doctors and dedicates himself a little more to his private life. If there's something like a scarce commodity among the incalculable fortune of David Nalbandian, then it's time.

Q: What has changed the most for you in these months of rehabilitation?

David: Having time.

Q: Time for what?

David: To do things without being in a rush. To visit my cousins, uncles or friends more often and not have to do it, being in a hurry. And to spend more time on my foundation (www.fundacionnalbandian.org.ar), taking a closer look at our projects, which are primarily about the integration of disabled persons in sports. Apart from that, having time has helped me seeing what's the reality in this country a little more. In the maelstrom [of the Tour] you lose your sense of dimension.

Q: Are you interested in politics?

David: I care because it's about the good of the people. But not much beyond that. I try to stay informed, I read. It's the country we live in and it's the country I represent it when I play abroad.

Q: While you're "on stand-by", have you tried not doing anything?

David: No, I try to make good use of the time I have. I'm not one for doing nothing. Sometimes, I go to the local bar with some friends for a drink. That's as much entertainment as I get.

Q: You've got your headquarter in Unquillo, right?

David: Exactly.

Q: And you still live with your mom?

David: Exactly.

Q: Why haven't you moved out yet?

David: I have no reason to leave, living with her is perfect for me. We always eat together, she's an incredibly good cook. My father died in 2004 and I didn't get to spend much time with him. I'll spend time with my mom for as long as I have the chance.

Q: Do your brothers live with her as well?

David: No. They were nudged into moving out.

Q: Do you think you're safe from being nudged by Victoria (Bosch, his partner)?

David: We've been together for eleven years and so far it's going well.

David: She accepts that without any complaints?

David: Yes, Vicky is a phenomenon. We have a very good relationship and we've had it for ages. Imagine that we started being together when I was 16 and she 19. I've told her before, not until you learn to cook as well as my mom - she doesn't want to learn!

Q: You're 27, don't you feel tempted to at least go and live alone?

David: Not at all, because I spend so much time alone. When I travel, I'm alone. When I'm home, I want to be around my family.

Q: Do you do something for your looks?

David: No, I'm a mess, it's a challenge.

Q: Who challenges you and why?

David: My girlfriend challenges me. Because my face is always red, my skin is always dry. I never use skin cream.

Q: Does she tell you what she thinks about your career?

David: No, luckily, she doesn't care. And I wouldn't let her. She is a pharmacist and doesn't know anything about tennis. And I don't tell her what I think about what she does.

Q: What do you do together?

David: We go out for something to eat, to the movies. Well, sometimes I fall asleep during the movie. A little mishap. I'm always tired.

Q: It sounds very interesting to have a boyfriend like that who's always tired.

David: You wouldn't believe it... We do lots of things. We go out all the time.

Q: Do you like buying things?

David: Sometimes. But I don't have the time to use all the things that I buy - it's a disaster! And I think it's boring to walk around for two hundred hours without buying anything, the way women do it. What I really like are watches.

Q: Time!

David: Yes, you see, I buy several and I use them. I also love cars, I have a couple of fun ones.

Q: Do you share them?

David: My mom uses them.

Q: What about your girlfriend?

David. No, she doesn't.

Q: Why is there a difference?

David: My mom is of the same blood as I am. No, I'm not joking. I'll offer it, but my girlfriend doesn't dare to accept.

Q: Do you believe in marriage?

David: Why? We are in the 21st century.

Q: Can you imagine starting a family?

David: Yeah, sure, but not yet. I don't want to be missing my children while I'm away playing tournaments or for that to distract me from my career. Some [players] do it and it works for them. I don't want that.

Q: Tennis players are famous for being metrosexuals [I guess what she means is sex symbols], how do you deal with being besieged by groupies?

David: I deal with that very quietly. I'm in my village, far away from the rest of the world.

Q: Does having female fans flatter you?

David: On the street, there are ladies and even guys, who'll see me and say nice things to me and that is satisfying for me. They make you see that you have achieved more than just winning matches.

Q: Come on! I wasn't talking about those ladies or the kids who admire you as a tennis player but the girls who like you as a man. You're far away from the rest of the world in your town but does that mean it's irrelevant whether you're an attractive guy or not?

David: Well, everyone likes that, it's a nice feeling. Human beings want to be liked by others.

Q: Do you display the same ambition you show on court in other areas of your life?

David: On court, I'm more ambitious than anywhere else. That is what I devote myself to and it's what I like.

Javier Nalbandian talks about his little Brother - more on the Copa San Juan Minero

(La Nacion)

We've had quite a number of interviews with David in the past weeks and months. But now that David is training again he's apparently too busy to give interviews all the time. Which is, of course, a good thing. So here's something a little different, an interview with his eldest brother and first coach Javier. About David. From Diario de Cuyo. (Thanks, Tamar for pointing out both of these articles to me.)

Q: How is David, how's the recovery going?

Javier: Very good. He doesn't have any pain, he's three kilos away from his ideal weight. He never stopped working, as far as the typical limitations after such an operation would allow him.

Q: And the recovery is going ahead as planned?

Javier: Yes, the truth is that this break he has had to take, this time outside of the circuit, has made him more mature regarding those things that are not related to tennis. I can see that he's well, happy, eager, reconsidering his goals for the return.

Q: In what ways is he more mature and what objectives is he reconsidering?

Javier: More than anything else his way of approaching things. Being more mature and having been through all this, which isn't easy, means approaching things with a different philosophy. He's more relaxed now and this will help him with his return.

Q: So you can confirm that he'll return in San Juan?

Javier: Yes, he'll return here [in San Juan], in December.

Q: Tito Vázquez told Diario de Cuyo that your brother didn't become the No.1 because for him, tennis is a part of his life, it's not everything.

Javier: I know the way David is, I know him. And being #1 or #10 doesn't depend on seeing tennis one way or another. First, everyone has their goals, then you do an analysis with your coach and also with your conscience. But at the end of the day, it's the player who's on the court.

Q: But David has always been criticized for not spending much time training and in fact, there has also been a statement from you, criticizing your brother's environment.

Javier: Let's see... What got published on Infobae, my answers were misquoted and altered. And above all they criticized the way of training... It's all the same. As a matter of fact, those who say these things [about David training] are those who don't get to see it. If you're playing well it can hardly mean that you're not training. If these people had seen him work these last 18 years, the sacrifices he has had to make, the things he couldn't do, then they wouldn't say he doesn't like to work.

Q: Back to Vazquez, in the same interview he said that the atmosphere on the Argentine team was good [during the ties] against Slovakia and The Netherlands, exactly those ties where David wasn't there. What generates that view?

Javier: No, I will not engage in polemics. I'll just say that whenever it came to representing the country he gave it his everything. And he is the only one, or one of the few who can carry an entire team.

Q: They say that David and Del Potro don't get along, how do you see that relationship?

Javier: I only saw David and Juan together once, when they were playing Davis Cup, and they were fine. Both are good players, each wants the best for himself and for the team and maybe in the course of this struggle to defend the flag, other issues came up. But both have very clear goals and I don't see why they shouldn't be able to get along.

Q: Outside of training, what does David do in his spare time?

Javier: Ehh, I can only talk about things we did 18 years ago, because of the travelling we didn't get to spend much time together. We go fishing, spend time together, have barbecues, hang out with our friends. We have a good time.

Q: What will be David's focus in 2010?

Javier: His prime goal is to play again.

Q: Are you afraid he might not be able to recover his level?

Javier: I don't think so.

Q: So you're having some doubts?

Javier: That's a question he should answer. Until he starts playing again we won't know whether he'll get back to 100%.

Diario de Cuyo also has this new article about the Copa San Juan Minero and the man behind this tournament, David's former coach Martin Jaite, seen here with David during a training session.

"For me, it's a dream come true, being able to organize a tournament with these players. The people of San Juan will witness a unique spectacle," said Martin Jaite, former player and now businessman, who officially confirmed yesterday what he had announced exclusively on Diario de Cuyo on September 16: the realization of a tournament in San Juan with David Nalbandian, Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Cañas and Nicolas Massu. It will take place on December 12 and 13 at the stadium Aldo Cantoni, a tennis event like there has never been one in San Juan before because of the level of the participating players. Apart from that, the tournament will see the return of David Nalbandian after his hip surgery, which will definitely be an extra attraction.

Jaite, a former Top 10 player and current director of the Buenos Aires ATP tournament (Copa Telmex), arrived yesterday in San Juan for the official announcement of the tournament together with the governor José Luis Gioja at a press conference. The event is called Copa San Juan Minero and will feature three matches. On Saturday, December 12, the four players will meet in the semifinals (the match-ups will be announced later). The final will be played on Sunday, December 13.

Although the schedule has not yet been confirmed, the idea is that on Saturday, play will begin at 6pm and that on Sunday, the final will start at 8 or 9pm.

The losers of the semifinal matches will offer a clinic for boys on Sunday morning at the St. John's Lawn Tennis Club.

Jaite has organized events like this for four players at Punta del Este [Uruguay] since 2005 , but this year marks the first time it will be played in Argentina. Prior to San Juan, there will be a presentation in Buenos Aires, though with different players (Cañas, Gaudio, Monaco, Acasuso).

"This is not just another tournament, it's a challenge for us because it's not easy to convince the players. But what made me really happy is that David (Nalbandian) chose the Copa San Juan Minero for his return to the court. It will be something very important and therefore, there will be a lot of attention from the national and international press. I believe the fact that San Juan is not too far away from Cordoba (where Nalbandian lives) has had a major impact on his decision. If it was farther away I'm convinced that David wouldn't come," Jaite said. Nalbandian, who visited San Juan in 2006 to see a rally race, is recovering from hip surgery he had to undergo in May.

Jaite also said that "David is a very popular figure but Gaudio has a special feeling with the people. At the same time, we cannot rule out that we may get to see the last few games of Cañas before his retirement. And Massu is a great tennis player, so I'm sure that these are four excellent players that will play this event."

That's the article. But on that page, there's also a bit of additional information in the sidebar. Crucial information and even more important than the article itself, as far as I'm concerned:

The Copa San Juan Minero matches will be televised live on TyC Sports.

Yay! :)

Fox Sports Interview - Summary

Update
I've found another clip of the interview...

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/fsla/video?vid=c3b2171e-34f9-40f2-8781-6bbd2066b061&from=IV2_es-mx_foxsports_videocentral" target="_new" title="A solas con David Nalbandian">Video: A solas con David Nalbandian</a>





After having watched the interview one and a half times (and that one, complete time on a very bad stream), this is as much as could gather. All in all, it was the usual blend of questions about the usual blend of topics...

- Recovery. He's doing well, he's feeling good. The trip to Barcelona, where he spent a week training under the supervision of Dr. Ruiz-Cotorro, was very "positive". Just like the results of the tests. His recovery is going well and according to plan. He still has to be careful with certain movements, though. And it's still a long way till his official comeback next year. But at the moment he's feeling good, having started to train again about a month ago. Before that, rehabilitation and doing all those exercises was difficult and lengthy (and very boring, I guess), those four hours a day.
At the moment, he's training on clay but he'll slowly change to training on hardcourt, knowing that he has to be careful about making that transition.

- Comeback. If all goes well, he'll play the exho(s) in December. (He only talked about the Copa Argentina in the interview so it was apparently filmed before he committed to playing San Juan.) But he wants to play again in December, he's looking forward to it. And those exho(s) will be important to judge how well he's really doing.
Then he talked about his official comeback in January. Saying that it's difficult to foresee how well he'll be able to play then as won't have any kind of rhythm. And I'm pretty sure he also said something about playing an event like Sydney or Auckland. Which was complete news to me. Can someone who watched the interview, Tamar for example, confirm this? That he said Sydney or Auckland?

- Ranking and important tournaments. Once more, David declared that doesn't care about his ranking. It's only important to get into certain events and be seeded at the Slams but he'll have his protected ranking and those eight chances to use it. Still, he hopes to recover his ranking as quickly as possible. He'll have to see how it goes after two or three months. And he'll need at least one month to get any kind of rhythm. He can only wait and see when he'll be back at 100%, maybe in time for Roland Garros, or Wimbledon or Rome (don't know why he mentioned that one). Masters events are difficult because you play every day and get to face very good opponents every match. Slams are different, you play every other day, there are more players but also more surprises.
Asked about his past Grand Slam experiences, David said that he had his chances but that it didn't work out for one reason or the other.

- Delpo and the US Open. Thought he would reach the quarterfinal or semifinal. Delpo played a great match already against Rafa and even more so against Federer and he recovered really well after the third set. Asked about Federer's outburst, David thought it was no big thing.

- Davis Cup. Sweden will be a tough opponent in the first round. (He specifically mentioned Söderling, which is not surprising...) It will be a tough tie and there's no guarantee that Argentina will win it. In the end, it'll come down to winning three of the four singles rubbers. About the doubles, we'll see...
He has often had to play on all three days in the past, which is very tough. And it's not so much that it's physically demanding but the pressure and just how much attention there is, how important each match is, that has had him finish those ties dead on his feet. Especially since former captain Alberto "Luli" Mancini relied on him, winning the ties, making him play doubles, which made it very tough to play on Sundays as well.
Next year, Argentina won't get to play a series of home ties but with the team they have now that's no longer as important, they can play everywhere as if they were playing in Argentina.

- Rafael Nadal. David spoke to him when he was in Barcelona and Rafa told him he was having an abdominal injury. His knees are better now but David thinks this kind of problem is typical for tennis players. And that it's also another sign of how brutal the calendar is, that Rafa is having such serious problems at age 23.

- Guillermo Coria. It's a strange situation. Coria has always been a player of great quality and David kept asking himself, as well as asking Coria, whether he'll come back...

- How long David will continue to play. His approach has always been - for as long as he wants to play, as long as he's still motivated. Right now, he still thinks the same. And he believes that he still easily has another two or three years of playing. That is if he can continue to play well and if his hip is okay. After all, tennis is the sport he has played all his life. And it's the sport he likes.