Jódar refuses to talk about the title in Montreal: "Those are big words"
The Spaniard, who successfully made his debut in Montreal against a tough Corentin Moutet, later analyzed the individual draw while refusing to comment on his chances of becoming champion.
If we have learned anything from Rafa Jódar in recent months, it is the difficulty of getting a headline from him. The Spaniard is a cautious guy, always focused on the present, which is why this Masters 1000 in Montreal has not raised his expectations.
What matters here is to keep taking steps forward, like the one he took in his debut a few hours ago against Moutet to earn a spot in the third round. Competing sensationally, as has been customary, the newly minted top 15 showed his character to meet Lorenzo Musetti now. Note that they faced each other less than a week ago, although in the mixed zone that took place after his last victory there was room to talk about other matters.
The wear and tear after Washington
"I am very happy with the victory; I achieved my first win in Montreal. It’s not easy when you play a final on Monday due to rain and have to compete here on Wednesday, but that’s how it is. I accepted it in the best way possible, I tried to adapt to the conditions yesterday and today, during the warm-up and the match. I am satisfied with how I handled the pressure and everything that happened."
Rafa Jódar analyzes the withdrawals in Montreal and his title chances
"I hadn’t had the opportunity to learn about it, but there is still a long way to go. Those are big words; I take it match by match. I know that tomorrow I have another match against a very tough opponent, and I just have to focus on that match because thinking beyond that doesn’t help me or any other player."
Rafa Jódar doesn’t want to obsess over winning a Masters 1000
"I will try to win as many matches as I can, but knowing that here everyone plays very well and that you have to prepare for each match. Today we saw that Moutet played a great match; he’s a great player, everyone here is among the best in the world, and you have to approach each match with the best possible mentality and the highest level of tennis."
A season of immense learning
"When you are playing tournaments, it’s hard to work on specific aspects because you play many matches. Playing so many matches is helping me get into better shape during the matches and improve physically. I think that is benefiting me a lot."
The first preseason as a professional
"When I have the opportunity to be at home for two or three weeks and finish my first season as a professional, it will be a good time to change the things I can do better and work on them during the preseason. Right now, it’s hard to say what I want to improve because I am in full competition and playing many matches. Each player is different, and you need different strategies to win against these rivals. I try to play my tennis, and in the future, I’m sure there will be time to improve specific aspects by talking with my team. They have a significant influence on my development because they see things that I might not see on the court."
The rematch with Musetti
"We played last week, but I’m sure it will be a completely different match. It will be a very, very tough match; Musetti is a very complicated player, and if I want to beat him, I will have to be at my best level."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar rechaza hablar del título en Montreal: "Eso son palabras mayores"