In Monte Carlolife has changed Alejandro Davidovich, ‘Foki’ (22 years old). Thanks to his magical week, where he has worn the best tennis, the one he keeps inside with a key and made him win Wimbledon in the junior category, for example. At a stroke of the pen, the man from Malaga, who trains sporadically with his friend Novak Djokovicwhom he swept away last week, also left along the way Grigor Dimitrov or Taylor Fritz, but he couldn’t with Stefanos Tsitsipas in the end. Despite being registered and being “very excited” to compete in Barcelona, he has finally decided to withdraw.
Have your expectations changed after this week in Monte Carlo?
Sure. There are many things that I take with me: how I have managed this week, how I have beaten these players, the confidence I have now… I don’t know if I will win other games, but I will be focused like this week on every point, in every game. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is. I will enjoy every moment. It doesn’t matter if I lose or if I win. I am like this, I am happy and I hope to continue this line.
Do you know your roof?
I don’t know him even close, there’s a lot left. When I polish various details in my game, physically and mentally, we will see where the ceiling is, I am not close to touching it. I have a lot of room for improvement.
What details?
At the game level, none. I’m playing quite well, I think the problem before Monte Carlo was mental. He had many tournaments falling in the first or second round. As there are no victories, one decays, but the illusion is still there. It is not a matter of practice. He knew that if he insisted the results would fall. I want to enjoy the land.
“I don’t know if I’ll win other games, but I’ll be focused like this week on every point, in every game. It doesn’t matter who the rival is”
You talk about the mental problem, is the transition from junior to ATP long?
The fan suddenly grows larger. In juniors it is a very nice stage in which I had a great time. Winning Wimbledon (in 2017) opened more doors for me: getting invitations and competing more in the ATP. But there everything changes, you go up three steps. The tournaments are developed in a more individual way, each one goes their own way… In junior you get together with your teammates. Here it is already a job, you want the best for yourself.
Do not give up and insist, I commented before, has your mental work changed?
I have been with the same psychologist (Antonio de Dios) for many years. As a child he didn’t take it as much into account as he does now. In tennis you will not arrive by talent, but by mentality and toughness. We have to compete to the maximum, we are trying to improve it.
Is mentality and toughness what separates the winners from the rest?
We are comparing the best in history (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic). They have touched us, we have to swallow them. It is not only his talent, but already his experience. We cannot compare ourselves to them.
Was playing against Tsitsipas as difficult as playing against Nadal?
They are different. In the end, Rafa is left-footed and it’s very difficult to play against him, with the backhand… Stefanos, yes, he also has it wonderful. It’s not easier than playing against Rafa, but it’s another game. Physically, Rafa is a beast.
“Alcaraz has the characteristics to be number one, I don’t know if he will reach the level of Rafa, he has been and is a God”
Do you think Carlos Alcaraz is going to follow the same path as Nadal?
We have trained a couple of times, everything changes. He is a boy who has the characteristics to be number one, I don’t know if he will reach Rafa’s level, he has been and is a God. Carlos is a great person, a great player and at 18 years old he has won titles. There is not much to talk about.
One of his sporadic training partners is Djokovic. How is he in the short distances and how does it help him?
Whenever I have trained with him he has made it very easy for me, we train there at his house, he is a guy of ten, very nice, close and kind. With me we spend a lot of time together. I create a good bond, we get along very well.
You recently created a project (adoptas.org) to help dog and cat protectors find homes for them. How did this initiative come about?
It was created just after the lockdown. It comes to me as a child, from wanting to help them. I never had a pet, my mother told me I was allergic and then I found out it was a lie, she didn’t want to have pets. I saw that in other countries there were websites like Milanuncios either Idealistic where people could adopt animals. Then we came up with the idea of doing something similar in Spain. People who want to adopt can access and search by areas and characteristics. We have already created the Foundation to receive money and help the protectors. I can’t be one hundred percent involved either, I must dedicate myself to tennis. I have delegated it to my team to make that work. There were many protectors that have already joined Now we will begin to have the boom. We haven’t been able to help much so far.