Q: How are you, going into this tournament?And now comes the part about Indian Wells and Miami. As both events are included with David's official schedule, I was under the impression that he was expecting to get a wildcard. But apparently, that's not necessarily the case:
David: I think I'm good. I'll tell you in a week (laughs). It's going to be a tournament with many good players, this year.
Q: Do you think you have a chance [of winning the title] or is it different this time from the other years?
David: Yes, yes. It's very nice and motivating to play here, so it's going to be an interesting tournament.
Q: As the years go by, does playing in Buenos Aires take on a different meaning for you?
David: I don't see it that way. I see it as another year. As I've said, it'll be one with good players and I'm looking forward to playing in Argentina, something I haven't done officially in a long time. I can't wait to play here.
Q: What's your analysis of the last two events, of playing Davis Cup and São Paolo, where you played on clay but indoors?
David: I think I played well in Bamberg. It was strange to play indoors, on a slippery court. That was complicated. In Brazil I won two good matches and in the third I felt the fatigue after travelling, the stress, the Davis Cup. I had my chances against Volandri but I couldn't take them. But I'm adding more matches [to my record] and that's important for having continuity.
Q: How are you handling this part of your career? I'm asking because of your age, your ranking, because of the injuries that have stopped you.
David: What has an influence are the pauses and the injuries I've had. That doesn't help at all, least of all for playing at a high level. To be sidelined for so long and because of surgeries isn't easy. But it's the reality I have to live with and that I have to face. I have to try and deal with these things as best as I can in order to remain at a good level and to try and keep up with the best.
Q: Not making the main draw at the Masters events of Indian Wells and Miami, would that be frustrating?For the record, as of today, David is the seventh alternate on the entry list for Indian Wells and the sixth for Miami. So unless seven more players withdraw from Indian Wells (and six from Miami), David won't make the cut. And whether he'll play qualies remains to be seen.
David: No, no. I don't see that as frustrating. These things happen and obviously, I like playing those kinds of tournaments because they're important and you have the chance to gain points and I could improve the ranking I have now. I'll play other events and try to get ahead in the rankings as quickly as possible.
Q: The good thing about not playing them is that it would give you more time to train on clay ahead of the tie against Croatia?
David: We'll see. If I make the draw I'll play and if not, we'll see. Because I have to analyse how I'm going to finish this swing which is quite long after Acapulco. I'm going to analyse if I can go on playing or whether I'm going to take a break to get ready for the tie.
Finally, some more questions about the Davis Cup:
Q: The last few times you said that you need the Tour to play well in Davis Cup. Is it difficult to separate the two, bearing in mind that the team started [the Davis Cup season] with a great triumph and will now play all of its ties at home?
David: That's the good thing for us now. I said before that what would be complicated would be Germany and now things are looking good for us. It's very difficult to play Davis Cup if you don't have continuity on the Tour. It's better to be playing matches, to be competing, in order to gain confidence and then be able to do better in Davis Cup.
Q: Del Potro is rising through the ranks and he's approaching the kind of level he had in 2009. You're aware that it without him it would be impossible to win the Davis Cup?
David: What I'm saying is that Juan Martin is a great player and if he's part of the team then it's better for everyone. We have to try and play with the best players we have so that Argentina has the best chances against whoever we get to play. We were able to win in Germany without him but if he's there, Argentina is a little better, whether playing at home or away.
Q: In Germany you won your 13th Davis Cup doubles and in that category you've now overtaken Guillermo Vilas, the greatest player of our country. Do you still think that statistics are just numbers or does making history interest you?
David: I still think that those things are for the day when I retire. Right now, I care about winning the Davis Cup. The numbers will continue to be numbers.
