David: I'm still experiencing the normal discomfort after having had surgery and we've only just started rehabilitation.
Q: Your personal physician [Ruiz-Cotorro] was optimistic after the operation and said that you could play again in four months.
David: Look, I had surgery three days ago. Until a couple of weeks have passed and we see how it all develops, it's impossible to know how for how long the recovery process will keep me sidelined. At this point in time, the doctors make the decisions, more than I do. Right now, for example having to walk on crutches. I don't talk about tennis, I'm still far from being healthy and I have to go slowly.
Q: How long will you have to continue on crutches?
David: It depends on how I feel, but it could be two weeks. It depends on the development, how it goes with the muscles, everything is relative. I'm beginning to do some work at a nearby gym, I do a bit of cycling and walking. Pedaling a bit, as long as it doesn't hurt, trying to push down the pedals. We'll have to wait what Ruiz-Cotorro says, he'll examine me next week.
Q: How you did you experience the repercussions of having your operation?
David: The truth is I was much more worried about my problem, but now it all seems fine. I'm glad that the people who're in charge of these things are concerned about how it's all going to turn out.
Q: If all goes well, is there any chance of playing Davis Cup in case Argentina make it to the semifinals?
David: Depends on the state of my recovery. But if I can be there, I will. The truth is I haven't talked to Caio [Rivera] and Vázquez, we just exchanged a couple of text messages.
Update
Clarin.com also did a phone interview with David yesterday - while he was watching and enjoying the Nadal/Djokovic semifinal at Madrid...
Q: How was the operation and what did the doctors tell you?
David: It went well and they are optimistic. But it'll still be a long rehabilitation and you need to be calm and not speed up the process.
Q: How do you feel?
David: Here I am, lame, on crutches and with the typical discomfort of someone who just had surgery. The scars hurt and there's a bit of discomfort in the hip.
Q: And how's the spirit?
David: Calm. Nothing unusual, just getting started, it's only been three days.
Q: Was this the most important decision of your life, taking into account what tennis means to you?
David: It was tough, yes. Because it's a complicated injury. The doctors didn't know what they were going to find. But I also couldn't continue that way because playing like that was pointless. Going on this way was out of the question, I suffered as much as I could.
Q: By deciding to have surgery, you're being consistent and you'll pursue a demanding rehabilitation, is that correct?
David: Yes, yes. With the rehabilitation, you can't afford making errors because you can fuck it all up. You have to be careful.
Q: Do you have any fears?
David: Of what?
Q: Of not being able to return to play or if you do of not getting back to your level, for example.
David: Surely I will return and I will come back fine. The question is how long it'll take, which is something the doctors can't tell you.
Q: What do you expect of 2010?
David: I don't know when I'll be able to set down my foot properly, so I cannot even imagine myself in 2010.
Q: You're not making plans?
David: Zero plans.
Q: You're 27, you've had a hip operation and now several months of inactivity lie ahead of you. Can you be top ten again or will it be a new career when you start playing again?
David: That's where I can look back at the circuit and see where I stand. I think I can: I played with a hip injury for a year and a half and I played at a good level even with the pain. So I imagine that if I can play without being in pain, I won't have a problem. But it'll be a question of starting to play again and then actually see how I'm doing.
Q: How are you going to approach the time off you'll now have?
David: I don't think, uh, that I'll have much time off. Three days have passed since the operation and the only free time I have is in the morning when I wake up in pain. After that, I do rehabilitation. Now, instead of training, I do rehabilitation.
Q: Are you watching any tennis?
David: This week, yes, because what's going on. But when I'm back in Argentina, having a more normal life again, I won't be sitting in front of the TV but rather do other things.
9 comments:
Good to see David is not completely counting out his DC chances this year.
All those questions about what he's going to do next and how long it's all going to take... give the poor guy a break! He's just come out of surgery and is still in pain.
To be honest, I'd be okay with Argentina losing the QF tie. To stop those speculations and to keep David from doing something silly and potentially dangerous, i.e. trying to play DC whether he's fit enough for it, or not.
Istabraq, welcome to the comments section.
Yeah, those questions do seem a bit much at this point. But I guess what's behind it is really just wanting to know (and being able to tell the readers) for how long he'll be out. And that he's doing whatever he can to come back.
I like the answers - he doesn't know how long recovery will take and he's not going to rush himself. Which is absolutely right. He'll be back in his own sweet time. I'm resigned to at least a 6 month break; anything less would be a nice bonus.
Poor Nalby, people talks about his return 3 days after a surgery..What
a lack of diplomacy...they should shut up and let David and doctors doing the job..I hope he'll take all his time to go back healthy and ready to beat Nadal..
Rest is important to recovery but so is a vision of how things will be in the future, so it's quite normal and not at all cruel to ask these questions about the future. It's all about a positive outlook and that never goes away for a champion, whether he's in a hospital bed or on court.
I just think that it would make sense to forget about this season. Maybe play the Copa Argentina exho in December as a first test. And then come back next year and make use of the protected ranking. I'd rather see him out for the rest of the year and then coming back fully recovered than playing again too early and risking further problems with his hip.
In those interviews, it sounds like he'll take his time. But only until they ask him about a possible DC semi. And then he says that if he can, he'll be there. That tie would be played in mid-September... It's just that for me, DC is the one big, potential threat to his recovery.
Maybe I'm paranoid...
I don't see the Davis Cup semi-final as being much of a threat, not at where it's scheduled. Maybe if it was mid-October or November I would be more concerned (Though I wouldn't rule out a doubles-only appearance but what would the point if it were to be against the Bryans?). It's straight after the US Open, and that's already ruled out. It would be too soon to risk playing best-of-five set matches, and having that as the first tournament to play.
Anyway I don't give Argentina much of a chance against Czech Republic. Only when they get past that hurdle, I'll start to think about it more seriously. As well as Monaco is playing at the moment, he would struggle on a carpet court. I'll give them a slight chance though because you never know with Berdych. But I think the Czechs would be in trouble if one of them were to be injured.
Didn't both Stepanek and Berdych retire at Madrid? Berdych with some sort of leg injury? - Okay, the QF tie is still about two months away but that probably added to my paranoia. ;)
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