Madrid, October 29, 2009

Rafa Nadal has been honoured this afternoon in Spain with ‘The Independent Foundation 'Universal Spaniard of the Year Award for his success in sport and his excellent behaviour off-court. "I do not see it that way, but people tell me I'm a role-model to young people and kids. If so, please tell them to strive to be the best and enjoy what they like doing most," said the champ in a press conference at the Ritz Hotel.

“At the moment I feel great. I competed in Beijing and Shanghai. In Beijing I had a few things bothering me but after that, I started to feel at 100% and I’m very happy because I’m training very well now,” he continued.

He also qualified his 2009 campaign as “real good” considering he had fantastic results at the beginning of the year. “I can’t say much, I won a Grand Slam, three Master Series events and played 2 more finals In Godó and Rotterdam… I know there were other factors like injuries and other problems, but personally, I think it’s been a year more complicated than I initially expected,” he continued.

“There’s a lot more to life than tennis,” and there are problems out there more serious than an injury. “I didn’t play for 2 months. This season has been worse than last year’s, but not worse than 2007’s and 2006’s. When you are at home, without competitions, you think a lot, you spend tons of hours seating at home on a sofa recovering. If your down in the ranking and you play less, you get fewer injuries for sure. But you never know.”  

Nevertheless, “I always give a 110% …Perhaps that puts me in a risk and makes me more vulnerable to injuries but if I can’t give my best then I just go fishing…. You will learn at the end.”

COMMITMENTS: Rafa is due to travel on Friday to Santander where he will participate in a promotional event for the bank that sponsors him.