World number four and seven-time champion Rafael Nadal said that he doesn’t care who’s being tagged as the favorite in the upcoming Roland Garros 2013 semifinal clash against Novak Djokovic but all he knows that he has to produce his “best tennis” in order to overcome the Serbian.
“I don’t give a damn about it. I try and play my best tennis, and the least of my concerns is to know if I’m favoured or not. These are words that will be carried away by the wind. What will stay is my tennis, my match, and who is going to win the match. That’s reality. But the rest is speculation beforehand,” the Spaniard said.
Nadal and Djokovic have competed against each other 34 times in the past with Nadal having a 19-15 edge. Their last meeting was at the Monte Carlo Masters final with Djokovic ending Nadal’s eight year reign in Monaco.
“When I play here we’re going to play here in Roland Garros; we’re not in Monte Carlo,” Nadal said.
“This court, and the feeling to play this court, is always a little bit different. I know he’s going to play well too because he’s the best today, and I hope to play well here. But the deeper I go the better I play usually. It’s always been the case. It’s the same this year. It’s the same old story. I played well during the Round of 16 and had a nice quarterfinals match,” he added.
“I know that I am playing against the best player of the world. I know that he’s been having great results for a long time. I’m just trying to play my way, trying to find my rhythm and trying to play my best match. That’s the only way to have a chance in the semi-finals.”
