Blog by Henri Leconte
Posted on May 23, 2009
I’ve been in Sao Paulo for three days now and like it here, it’s a nice city. Sao Paulo reminds me a lot of Hong Kong, there’s a lot of business that goes on in the city. It’s very different to Rio but it’s fun, and the people are really friendly. The hotel is great this year and it’s always well organised so it’s nice for us to be here and to come and spend a week somewhere so different. We’re at altitude here so that’s something I’m still getting used to. There’s so many new, younger guys on the Tour this year so I’m really having to try my best and fight. We’ve got Thomas Enqvist playing his first event here this week and he’s playing really well. It’s great for the Tour to have all these new faces. It makes it more difficult for me to win matches though!
I did beat Marcelo Rios for the first time ever this week. I was lucky that he wasn't playing his best tennis - usually he would beat me easily because he’s so much younger and quicker than me. Maybe Marcelo’s hair was the source of all his powers... No, I’m just kidding, I actually think he looks better with his head shaved than he did with the long hair (see how he looks now in the photo gallery). He’s got big tattoos everywhere now too. Well, not everywhere!
Only two days until the start of Roland Garros. Like everyone I have to pick Rafa to win it, but I think Federer winning in Madrid makes things a bit more interesting. I think it’s good for him to have in his mind that he beat Nadal, even if he lost so many times before. It gives him the opportunity to believe that he can beat him. There is also still an opportunity for a surprise. I think Djokovic has a chance to win because he is playing so well on clay but we will see. Playing for two weeks over five sets is a totally different story to best of three over one week.
If Rafa does win in Paris then he’s on for the Grand Slam, which would be incredible. I think he’s the favourite to win Wimbledon again, even more so this year because of the roof, because that will make the conditions more humid and the grass will be even slower. I don’t agree that Federer is past his best and I think he still has a good shot at winning Wimbledon this year, but he has a child on the way and that will change his mentality for sure. There’s no way his focus can be 100% on tennis when he has a new baby. We will have to see though. It’s certainly going to be an interesting year in tennis.
Henri