New David Interviews

Cordoba-based La Voz Interior and Cadena3 have published a new round of interviews with David, with the two articles from La Voz including the pictures that can be seen here (thanks, tennisace). Here's what David had to say...

"Life is not really normal because I'm still on crutches but I'm trying to move, to do something and not stay still. The first few days I mostly spent in bed, but the development was good. I can walk a little."

About his possible return to the courts in five or six months, he said that today it's still "very early" to fix a date, since with the recovery, you have to see from day to day. But still he expects to play again in "four or six months".

"For the moment, I enjoy having some peace without travelling. But in a few months I'll be feeling the anxiety of wanting to play again. We're doing everything the doctors say, so it's all going well."

"Tennis players know that their career is a very short one."
(LaVoz.com.ar)

Q: You look very good.

David: Because I'm on crutches? (Laughs.) Though everything went well, it's still going slow. But we'll maintain the correct procedure, even if it's going better than I expected. We'll need to see in a month and a half when you get tired of doing those 'little exercises' where the physical effort is zero.

Q: You've started early, doing exercises.

David: The cartilage was in a better state than expected. Still, I spent 15 days with one leg up. As all of this started a year ago, we were already trying to protect that area and it recovered quickly because I was better prepared.

Q: There was no anxiety about being able to play again.

David: No, I'll start playing again next year. Maybe get good results, maybe not. Sometimes you feel bad and play a great tournament, and vice versa. It's all relative.

Q: How do you imagine your return?

David: I will have to gain a little confidence in the leg, the hip. To feel that it's okay, that it doesn't hurt. Then I can aim at winning something. When it's like that, when I get closer to that day, then I'll really want to play again.
(LaVoz.com.ar)

"It never crossed my mind to say - that's it. Although there are many stages of the year where you feel tired and look forward to the end of the season. It's like everything is complicated because it's been the same routine for years. No pauses, no vacations, all year round you live with the same routine. And you only get 10 days off per year. The other day, I remembered that it's been 13 years since I had a full month of vacation."

"I'm leading a normal life, on crutches, but at least I'm not as restricted in my movement anymore as I was directly after surgery. I'm relaxed. It will be a long recovery and we must be patient. It's only been 15 days, two of those in Cordoba. We'll have to see if the anxiety to come back will get to me after two months of inactivity."

"Nobody tells you anything. I think it'll have to be between four and six months. But it's different for everybody and it depends on how things will develop. Everything is very slow. It will depend on whether the exercises are effective. We're still a long way away from a comeback."

"I still have the same goals. The Davis Cup is a dream and always will be. I think I should review these things, depending on how well I'll be able to play on the tour. But realistically speaking, that's all still a very long way away. Right now, I enjoy being with my friends and my family."

"I'm not following a strict regime or have to work hard, day and night. I don't care as much as when I'm on the tour."

"Rafa is a friend. It's not surprising, the incredible things he does. Today, he's the undisputed number 1 and that makes me happy because he's a great person."

About Delpo
"It's all okay. We're not great friends but we're all right."

About getting married
"Not marriage, no. We're very much okay the way we are. We've been together for 10 years but we are modern and young." (Smiles.)
(Cadena3.com; also contains an audio clip)

Update
Clarin.com has a video interview with David (he basically says the same things as in the interviews above). Clicking this link will play the video full-screen.