Com muito menos drama, emoção e horas em quadra do que no ano passado quando precisou de 5h53min para derrotar Rafael Nadal, Djokovic venceuAndy Murray por 6/7(2) 7/6(3) 6/3 6/2 para conquistar o inedito tricampeonato consecutivo do Australian Open, na Era Aberta, o quarto da carreira na Oceania e o 6º Grand Slam para a sua coleção.

Federer, Nadal, o próprio Murray, ganham um ou outro torneio de vez em quando, mas aos pouquinhos Djokovic vai dominando o mundo do tênis, conquistando os sonhos de criancinha. Desde pequeno ele já dizia querer ser número um do mundo.

E o mais interessante é que faz tudo isso de uma maneira intensa e leve ao mesmo tempo. Fico perplexa como ele consegue dar conta de tanta coisa e fazer tudo parecer parte do trabalho, normal e divertido.

É intrigante – e isso ele não conseguiu explicar bem – como consegue jogar mais de 4 horas e voltar para a quadra 48h depois e derrotar Tomas Berdych, sem problemas e em seguida arrasar David Ferrer? Não reclamou das horas em quadra, do cansaço, apenas disse que estava fazendo tudo legalmente possível para estar em forma. E estava.

Entre um jogo e outro ele ainda se diverte. Entrou na quadra vestido de médico, no jogo dos Seniors, para acudir Henri Leconte; li que até algumas palavras em chinês ele falou com Jie Zheng; e muitas outras coisas que ele deve ter feito para se divertir que fogem aos nossos olhos.

A vinda dele ao Brasil, alguns dias depois de ganhar o Masters, mostraram a disposição e vontade dele de aproveitar o momento incrível. Mas até aqui fiquei surpresa com a quantidade de coisas que ele fez e todas parecendo curtir cada momento.

Ele tirou férias e que não foram muito longas e agora já está de novo com um trofeu de Grand Slam na mão.

A entrevista coletiva da vitória em Melbourne  - coloco alguns trechos – acho que dá para entender um pouquinho como funciona a mente do supercampeão Djokovic. Um tenista determinado, em busca da vitória, consagração, sucesso, que sabe o papel que tem no esporte, mas que consegue fazer as obrigações do dia-a-dia se tornarem, de certa maneira, prazerosas.

Q. How hard was that match for you tonight?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It’s hard. I mean, when you play one of your biggest rivals and somebody that is in the top form in finals of a Grand Slam, there is a lot to play for. I think it went 2 hours, 20 minutes, the first two sets. I think that says enough about the intensity of the match. I kind of expected that. I knew that it’s going to be physically very demanding, a lot of long rallies, so I needed to hang in there. I’ve done that. There was a few turning points in the match. Maybe one of them was the second game in the second set when I was Love-40 against the breeze. He missed a few shots. I managed have that crucial hold. After that I felt just mentally a little bit lighter and more confident on the court than I’ve done in the first hour or so.

 Q. How does this compare with the others you’ve won, the feeling?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Every tournament, especially the major tournaments, is very special. So every win, of course also adding to that the history part, you know, winning it three in a row,it’s incredible. It’s very thrilling. I’m full of joy right now. It’s going to give me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season, that’s for sure.

Q. Andre Agassi always played verywell in this tournament. You got the trophy from him tonight. Is there something similar in your attitudes, styles, that means you tend to start the season in such terrific form?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Maybe the style of clothing that we had. He had many colors and I love colors, so on that regard maybe there is some similarities. But, no, also he’s I think one of the players that changed the game – not just the game itself, but also the way the people see it. He’s a legend of the sport, of course. He had so much success. He won everything: Gold medal, Olympic Games, Grand Slam, everything.vAlso he made a huge impact on the sport by changing the style. He was I think one of the first baseline groundstroke players on the tour. Most of the players before him were playing serve and volley. That’s where the game startedvto change a bit and you could have more players winning the events from the baseline. So it was obviously a big pleasure and honor for me to receive the trophy from him.

Q. What are your goals for the rest of the season? Is the French Open a priority for you now?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Priority for me now is to enjoy this victory. In life, you know, you don’t get many of the opportunities to win Grand Slams. As a tennis player, that’s a pinnacle of the ambitions and of the success.vSo I try to enjoy it for few days with the people I love the most, family, friends, and team. And then after I turn to the rest of theseason. It’s Davis Cup already coming up,vindoors, clay courts, next weekend, so that’s going to be a lot of fun (smiling).vAnd then after that, obviously — there is still four or five months till the French Open. Of course, I want to go all the way in French Open.vI went to the finals last year and had a great match against Rafa, but he’s always the favorite on that surface and he’s the ultimate player to beat on clay.vBut I think if I continue on playing well, stay healthy, I can have a chance.

Q. You had tough losses to Rafa and Roger and Andy in the last three Grand Slams coming in here. Going into today, any special motivation saying that you wanted anothervGrand Slam title?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What more motivation you need than from this trophy? Just seeing it and reading the names of the winners in last 50, 100 years, it’s incredible. To be also mentioned in the history aspect, you know, and winning three in a row, it’s a huge achievement. So I’m always motivated in every match that I play on. But of course Grand Slam finals are always bringing something new, something special to every player, and that’s where you want to perform your best.

Q. This final and last year were incredibly physical. Do you get a sense it’s taking stuff out of you or you’re just taking it in your stride?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, as somebody that has experiences playing on the big stage in Grand Slam finals, especially against the top guys, I expected that to happen. I tried to use that necessary experience in the past to implement that in my game, in my mental approach and mindset before this final. I didn’t expect an easy match. You never get the Grand Slam trophy in an easy way. You have to earn it. I’m very glad that I’m sittin next to it now.

Q. You spoke about Andre. Are you changing the game, too? If yes, in what aspect do you think?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I leave you guys to judge about changing the game or not. I’m just trying to play this game with 100% of devotion, love, passion, and fun also. I mean, 25 years old and I won six Grand Slams and have a lot of trophies. It’s amazing. You know, I’m just trying to embrace this moment and enjoy it as much as I can and see where tomorrow brings me.

Q. Do you switch from one surface to another surface?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That’s why I said it’s going to be a lot of fun next weekend to see how I can adjust to clay court in indoor conditions, playing away Davis Cup, which is always tricky. But, look, you know, right now my thoughts are going in this trophy, enjoying as much as I can. Hopefully I’m going to have time to recover and get ready for that tie.

Q. Do you think you’re the funnest guy in players nowadays?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Do you think (smiling)?

Q. I also heard from some ballkids, they said you are always humor. I notice you said hello to Jie Zheng in Chinese in the press conference, too. I want to know about your philosophy in life for humor?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It’s tough to find a rational answer for that question. But the only thing I can say is I try to enjoy what I do and every moment of the life that I have is a blessing. There is so many athletes, professional tennis players around the world and it’s such a global sport, they want to be the best in what they do. They want to succeed. Many of them, they don’t succeed in the end. I’m fortunate to have this opportunity and to succeed. I mean, what else can you do but to be happy and try to, you know, bring that joy to the other people around, especially in the tournaments. Everybody has bad days. I’m not always funny or laughing. It’s normal. But generally I’m aware of the fact that it’s an incredible trip for me, you know, being a professional tennis player.

I don’t know if you’re informed or not. I got the permission to leave tonight actually very early in the morning, not tomorrow. So I’m very sorry, and I apologize for not talking to you furthermore tomorrow.The main reason for that is because I want to get to Europe as quick as possible so I can be ready for the Davis Cup tie. I hope I find your understanding for that.

In the end, there is a little tradition that we try to initiate in World Tour Finals in London, the end of the year, the last press conference, gave chocolate to all the people who were in the press. I want to start the year with the samething, if you allow me. Let’s keep it sweet.

Nadal insistiu em não falar sobre a lesão que sentiu no primeiro set. Primeiro por não saber sobre o que de fato aconteceu – virilha? -, já que a partida havia terminado há poucos minutos, depois por respeito ao adversário e amigo que “jogou muito tênis” e também por não querer usar a lesão como desculpa para cada derrota que tem.

O fato é que mesmo os super-heróis do esporte são humanos. O corpo de Nadal já vinha dando sinas de cansaço desde o torneio de Doha e apesar dele ter dito que estava se sentindo superbem antes do jogo contra Ferrer, em algum momento o corpo pede descanso.

O tão falado Rafa Slam ficará para um outro momento, ou um outro jogador. Antes do Grand Slam australiano começar, Nadal mesmo admitia que essa chance era praticamente única e que seria difícil chegar perto disso novamente, ganhar tantos Grand Slams na sequência.

Transcrevo aqui as partes mais interessantes do embate entre Nadal e os jornalistas no Australian Open.

D. FERRER/R. Nadal

6-4, 6-2, 6-3

RAFAEL NADAL

Q.  What can you tell us about the

injury?  What did David say to you at the end

of the match?

RAFAEL NADAL:  I can say nothing

about the injury.  Seriously, I would prefer don’t

talk a lot about the injury.

Tonight, first of all, I don’t know nothing.

Second thing, for respect to the winner and to a

friend, I prefer to talk about the match.  I think he

played at a very high level.  I just congratulate

him and wish him all the best for the semifinal.  I

think he’s doing a fantastic tournament.  If he

keep playing like this, he going to have a good

chances.

What David told me at the net is for me

and that’s it.

Q.  How emotional is it for you

tonight?

RAFAEL NADAL:  Yes, is a difficult day

for me.  I lost in quarterfinals another time.  So I

tried my best.  I couldn’t do more.  Tonight I think

I played against a great player, a great opponent.

Today I really can’t do more than what I did.  So

he played at a very high level, and I wasn’t able

to compete against him tonight.

Q.  It’s going to be difficult for us to

write a piece without appreciating how well

you could move.  It seemed to us you

couldn’t move as well as you would like to

have been moving tonight.  Is that a fair

statement?

RAFAEL NADAL:  You see the match?

Q.  Yes.

RAFAEL NADAL:  So you are ready to

write everything.  I don’t have to tell you about

what I felt on the court because I tried my best all

the time.  But is obvious that I didn’t feel at my

best.  I had a problem during the match, in the

very beginning.  After that, the match was almost

over.  So that’s what I can say.

But you know what, for me is difficult

come here and speak about.  In Doha I wasn’t

healthy.  Today I have another problem.  Seems

like I always have problems when I lose, and I

don’t want to have this image, no?  I prefer don’t

talk about that today.  If you can respect that, will

be a very nice thing for me.  Thank you.

Q.  What was the problem, though?

RAFAEL NADAL:  You are listening me?

I can’t tell you which problem I have.  First thing,

because I don’t know.  That’s my answer.

Q.  What you achieved in the last year

was nothing short of amazing.  Does this

break your heart a little bit that it had to

happen like this?

RAFAEL NADAL:  The tennis career,

you have higher moments and lower moments.  I

had almost all the time very, very happy

moments and very nice moments in my career.

That’s part of the sport.  Last year I was very

lucky.  I was healthy most of the year.  I was

playing unbelievable during all the year.

This year I did I think all the right things

to start the season playing really well.  And,

seriously, I was playing like this in the first

exhibition in Abu Dhabi.  After that starts the

problem.  Was a difficult month for me, no?

That’s part of the sport.  Accept; keep

working; try my best in the next tournament.

That’s what I can do.

Last year I had a fantastic year.  This

year the year just start.  Last year in the

beginning I had problems, too, and finally was

the best season of my career.  I think is almost

impossible to repeat that.  But remain a lot, and

remain a lot to have hopefully really good

moments, and at the same time, too, really

negative moments.

So this is one of bad ones, one of

negative moments.  That’s part of the sport.  I

think I am very, very lucky sportsman about what

happened in my career.  And I have to accept the

fantastic moments that I had during a lot of years

with the same calm that when I have problems.

And if I am ready to accept both things with I

think let’s say everything the same, I going to be

able to come back and play my best tennis

another time.

Q.  How do you think David will get on

in the semifinals?

RAFAEL NADAL:  He’s playing fantastic.

But I think he’s not the favorite.  But if he keep

playing like this, hopefully he can have a good

chance to be in the final or win the tournament.  I

would love.  Is a fantastic person.  Is a close

friend of mine.  So I wish him all the best.

I think that Andy is playing very good,

too, but David is playing at high level, no?

Q.  After what happened in Doha,

coming here a little bit late…

RAFAEL NADAL:  Coming late?

Q.  You were ill in Doha and came to

Melbourne a little bit late.

RAFAEL NADAL:  I didn’t came late.

You are wrong.  I was here one week before the

tournament.  Is more than enough.

Q.  The question is, with you being ill

in Doha, then what happened after the Tomic

match, did you feel that maybe this

tournament wasn’t meant to be, wasn’t

destiny to win?

RAFAEL NADAL:  I tried my best in

Doha.  Was a difficult week for me.  Here,

seriously, before the match of today I started to

feel that I am playing much better and I am very

healthy and don’t have no problem in general.

So I was happy about happened during the first

week because I was through without being

perfect.

I started the second week with a very

good match against Cilic and improving my level

every day.  Seriously, I was practicing much

better than in the beginning of the tournament,

and I felt ready to play this quarterfinals.  But

wasn’t the day.

Q.  What will be your next

tournament?

RAFAEL NADAL:  I don’t know yet.  I

have to think a little bit about everything and we

will see what’s going on in the next weeks.

Q.  We appreciate your fair play, and

we understand what you’re saying.  I just

would like to know if you didn’t have in front

of you a friend of yours, would you have kept

till the last ball and point to stay on court or

would you have left a little before?

RAFAEL NADAL:  I hate the retirements,

so this wasn’t the day.  I did last year.  I hate that

moment.  I didn’t want to repeat that.

Q.  The match against Cilic showed

you were recovering well.  Did you feel

anything unusual the last couple days?

RAFAEL NADAL:  I felt fantastic the last

couple days.  I practiced very good yesterday.  I

had a fantastic warmup today before the match.

Only feeling that I can say was very positive.  I

started the second week, and when the second

week started, everything was better and better

for me:  the health, sweat, the level of tennis.

Everything was better and better.

Q.  Earlier today Andy Murray said

there’s a number of guys on tour who on any

given day can beat each other:  yourself,

Robin, Roger…

RAFAEL NADAL:  I didn’t understand.

Q.  He said any one of the top six or

seven players on any day can beat each

other.  Do you think after the year you had

last year, our expectations of you are

probably higher than yours, given the

evenness of the top six or seven players?

RAFAEL NADAL:  For me there are

much more than six or seven on the tour that can

beat everybody.  I think is more than these few.

In general, the expectations, I don’t know which

expectations you have about me.  I have my

ones.  I have my goals.  Probably we think

different ways, no?

I live day to day with myself.  You see

everything from outside.  I know how difficult is

everything.  Probably, you know, not exactly the

same.  This part is difficult, no?  This part is very

competitive.  You have to have be in perfect

conditions to win.  The season is always crazy,

very long.  You can’t have time to rest and come

back to prepare perfect in a season.  That’s this

game.  Only the best players, only the more

prepared players physically and mentally are

ready to be here and to be in the top positions a

long time.

My expectations, I said before the

tournament, I said before the year start, is enjoy

every day and practice hard every day with same

illusion, humble and motivation that I did all my

career.  So that’s my principal goal, in general,

no?

I lost in quarterfinals today.  We’ll see

what’s happen in next tournament.  I’ll work hard

to be ready.

Q.  Can you tell us your feelings

tonight compared to this time last year?

RAFAEL NADAL:  Is different because

last year was the knees.  I had a problem, big

problem, in the knee in the past.  So was hard for

me to have another time the same.  I didn’t see a

solution in that.  Is not the case.

I came last year after probably six, seven

months really hard for me of injuries and of

problems in general.  So was a hard situation.

This year everything is a little bit different.  I have

three more Grand Slams at home, a few more

Masters 1000s and a few more tournaments.

I can say nothing wrong because I had a

fantastic time last year.  Not possible be all the

time at hundred percent.  Not possible all the

time to have all the positive factors together to

win in every tournament.

Last year happened in almost every one.

This year we start with a little bit of unlucky.  I

gonna work hard to come back and to keep

having chances and to compete against the best

players and to keep being in the top positions of

the ranking, so…

I love playing tennis.  I love the

competition.  And I love, in general, the hard

moments because you are ready to change the

situation working hard, working every day with a

goal and with illusion.

Q.  You said your preparation was

good for this year.  Was the vacation long

enough after London?

RAFAEL NADAL:  The vacation long

enough?  No, one day is enough, you think?

Never is enough.  With this sport you never have

vacations enough.  This part is special for

different things.  This factor is one of the special

things that makes the tour hard and difficult.

Only the best players mentally prepared are

ready to be here long time.

I said before, wasn’t a problem of

holidays, the start of the season.  The only

problem was a little bit of unlucky.  In general, I

had a virus.  When you have a virus, your body

goes down and you have more risk of everything.

That’s probably what happened.  That’s the

simple thing.

Now we have to accept.  I said 100

times.  But the only thing I can say is, accept the

situation and work to try to have another very

good season.

Se o sábado foi de tristeza para os australianos, com a última esperança de sucesso no Grand Slam, Sam Stosur perdendo para Petra Kvitova, já que de Bernard Tomic, só esperavam mesmo por um milagre para que ele derrotasse Rafael Nadal, no Canadá e em Montenegro, o fim de semana é de festa.

Milos Raonic, de 20 anos, 1,96m, derrotou o cabeça-de-chave 10, Mikhail Youzhny, por 6/4 7/5 5/6 6/4 e está nas oitavas-de-final do Grand Slam, depois de ter vindo do qualifying.

Com um saque impressionante como uma de suas principais armas – deu 31 aces em Youzhny -, alto e moreno, já vem sendo comparado pela mídia australiana a Mark Philippoussis. “Era um dos caras que eu mais gostava de ver jogar quando era criança,” confessou o canadense.

Canadense, mas nem tanto. Nascido em Montenegro, Raonic se mudou para o Canadá com a família, em 1994 e apesar de se considerar canadense, mantém fortes laços com o país europeu. O tio é vice-presidente da nação e os dois irmãos residem por lá. “Vou constantamente para visitar.”

Mas, é pelo Canadá que ele joga e não pretende mudar de nacionalidade. Todo o seu tênis foi desenvolvido na América do Norte, mais especificamente em Toronto, onde treinou nos últimos três anos, com a equipe da federação canadense.

Há três meses se mudou para Barcelona, para treinar com um ex-companheiro de Guga, Galo Blanco, contratado pela Tennis Canada, ou seja, mesmo morando na Espanha, quem financia a carreira do jovem Raonic é a federação canadense. “Inclusive a minha programação de torneios e viagens é discutida com o pessoal da Tennis Canada,” explica o jovem com cara de criança ainda, próximo de entrar no top 100.

Atualmente colocado no 152º posto na ATP, deve garantir um lugar entre os top 100, independente do resultado da próxima rodada contra o espanhol David Ferrer.

A federação canadense já pode ao menos começar a celebrar o resultado do investimento que vem fazendo há algum tempo, contratando inclusive Bob Brett para gerenciar o programa de desenvolvimento, para ver o tênis brilhar além das duplas com Daniel Nestor.

Nesta época de temporada da Oceania, aliás, antes dela começar, já no início de dezembro costumo começar a ler os jornais australianos para ficar por dentro das novidades nas competições, ler matérias escritas por jornalistas que vivem lá, que cobrem o circuito do tênis e que sempre fazem notas interessantes com os principais tenistas do mundo.

Desde o fim do ano passado, cada vez que abro a página de um jornal australiano na internet vejo uma notícia sobre enchentes.

As águas foram se acumulando na região de Queensland. Chove há dias e dias.

Os campeonatos de tênis na região tem sido prejudicados, mas tanto em Hobart, quanto em Sidney, quanto em Melbourne estão acontecendo. Sim, o qualifying está atrasado, mas eles encontram maneiras de realizá-lo, já que estão preparados para situações extremas.

As enchentes causaram e estão causando prejuízos, deixando inúmeros desabrigados, famílias desoladas, cidades embaixo d’agua, mas o número de mortes, por enquanto, não passa dos 20.

Autoridades já tomaram medidas para aliviar a vida da população local, extendendo prazo para pagamentos de contas, eliminando taxas, oferecendo auxílio, um guia do que fazer, entre outros.

Além disso celebridades e claro, tenistas, já se mexeram, para de alguma forma ajudar.

Neste domingo, a exemplo do que foi feito nas tragédias dos terremotos do Haiti e do Chile, os tenistas farão uma exibição no Melbourne Park, com entradas no valor de 20 dólares australianos e toda renda revertida para ajudar as vítimas das enchentes.

O valor que será arrecadado nem de perto é suficiente para reconstruir o que a natureza destruiu, mas serve para chamar a atenção para a tragédia e fazer com que mais pessoas contribuam.

Entre os jogadores que oficialmente declararam seu apoio ao evento e confirmaram participação na Rod Laver Arena, um dia antes do Grand Slam começar, estão Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic e os locais Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Stosur e Patrick Rafter.

Nascido em Brisbane, região de Queensland mais afetada pelas enchentes, o novo capitão da Copa Davis, deu o depoimento mais coerente de todos, ao comentar a realização do evento, que teve seus ingressos esgotados em pouquíssimas horas.

“Como um cara de Queensland, fico emocianado, do coração com a preocupação e a bondade do nosso esporte, de se envolver e fazer algo para aliviar o sofrimento. Sei que se colocarmos numa escala, a nossa contribuição é pequena, mas é bom poder fazer algo para ajudar.”

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Vale lembrar que as principais estrelas do Australian Open entrarão em quadra para participar do evento beneficente, um dia antes da competição, a mais importante do ano até maio, começar.

Aqui no Brasil as campanhas de ajuda às vítimas das enchentes, principalmente no Rio de Janeiro, começaram em sua maioria hoje, em diferentes canais de televisão e mídias sociais.

Sempre solidário, Gustavo Kuerten já anunciou, dos Estados Unidos, onde passa férias, que doará os US$ 25 mil que ganhou no início da semana, em uma competição de poker nas Bahamas, para as vítimas.

Foi a primeira manifestação de um esportista, enquanto dirigentes, autoridades, responsáveis, continuam culpando a chuva, que todos os anos causa enchentes nesta época no Brasil, especialmente na região serrana do Rio de Janeiro, pela morte de quase 400 pessoas.