"Nadal asked us not to play on the Real Madrid-City schedule"

Feliciano Lopez, director of the Mutua Madrid Open, passed through El Larguero’s microphones at the Cadena SER to talk about the Mutua Madrid Open. Feliciano López, a Real Madrid fan, also spoke about the current situation at Real Madrid, who will take on the match tomorrow against Manchester City at the Bernabéu (9:00 pm).

The memory of Manolo Santana

“It’s hard not to have Santana here. He has contributed a lot to where the tournament is going. In 2002 he convinced José María Álvarez del Manzano and, along with Ion Tiriac, he made it possible for this tournament you go to Madrid He was a very special person, he believed in me since I was a child. He invited me to play for Mutua in 2002. He then gave me the chance of a lifetime to work with him. Once the idea came, he liked that I could be with him as the tournament director. for a few years and he is the ambassador of the tournament. We miss him so much, he is a very positive person. We will always remember him. We will pay tribute to him on Wednesday but we will remember him with joy, as always. “

Having the best in the world

“The ATP forces the best tennis players in the world to play the Masters 1,000 unless they have injuries. More than 10 years on the circuit and if you meet the third requirement you can skip the third Masters 1,000. A Top- 50 players are definitely coming.Moreover, it is perfectly placed on the schedule, they are comfortable, we have the best clay courts in the world, including Paris.Tiriac brought people from France to make new courts and I just hear good things from the players.It’s closer to being a Grand Slam than Masters 1,000.Now the ATP project is more Masters 1,000 in ten days, even better.The idea is to do 1,000 Masters out of ten days and then adapt the remaining tournaments.The plan has been approved but ATP executive approval is lacking, and I think it will continue next year or two ha nggang tayo “.

Alcaraz-Nadal in the quarterfinals

“I don’t see a better match today than an Alcaraz-Nadal. Hopefully, but the tournament is near. Nadal debuted on Wednesday, Carlos came from a win over Barcelona … It would be a hypothetical match that everyone wants see. “

Djokovic

“Djokovic is happy, it looks like the countries are coming in again. He spends a bit because he only plays a little and the vaccination issue has affected his schedule. He loves Madrid and Spain, he has a house in Marbella. I think Mutua Madrid Open will give him great confidence “.

alcaraz

“It’s very good news. His way of playing is unique. By the time you see a lot of players playing the same way, a boy comes out playing with such self-confidence and the joy, attacking, who is always looking for the winner.He also has the energy to hook people, also because of his style, who suddenly dropshot, serves and goes into the net, or hits a win.It attracts people people hard.Players like Carlos hook people up in tennis.He had a good tournament in Australia and then won titles in Miami and Barcelona.They are players you see playing and just inside two months is hardly the same “.

Alcaraz, in place of Nadal?

“It’s a very difficult situation. Rafa is someone who goes beyond sports, people adore him, but people are also excited about Carlos now, they see him as the successor to Nadal, the heir to the throne. Rafa sits well on the throne, but it’s great to have Nadal as a reference for Carlos.They compare a lot to him, it’s a lot of pressure.Comparing Nadal isn’t the best thing that can happen to you.But he is very mature for his age, he has a very good environment with Juan Carlos Ferrero and it helps him a lot.It is very difficult to handle all that.Everyone is interested in him, and that is very difficult to manage for an 18-year-old man but he’s very good. “

Champions League semifinals and Nadal’s request

“I hope I can go to the Bernabéu. Nadal asked us that when Madrid plays in the semifinals of the Champions League we shouldn’t play him (laughs). He wants to play in the sun, so that the ball bounces more. There are tennis players who don’t from Madrid.David Ferrer is not from Madrid.Tommy Robredo and Marc López are from Barça, Sergi Bruguera is from Barça, the poor man is crazy … it’s very hard to be an anti-Madridista.And Pato Clavet is from Athletes “.

Corridor

“I think there’s a mix of things in the corridor. For the League champion, if he’s going to play on a field, let the corridor do for him, it doesn’t matter what team it is and where. But the things are mixed. It should be a gesture with the champion made forever (…) It should not be seen as something negative, but as a detail to the champion “.