David Nalbandian interview about Olympics

Here is an interview David Nalbandian did for ITF Tennis site, called "Olympic spotlight on...David Nalbandian".

Q: David, how excited are you at competing in your first Olympic Games?

DN: Well, it's great. I was in Athens and got injured just two days before the start of the event, so I was very unlucky, and very upset on my part. This is going to be the first time that I am going to play. So I'm very excited, very happy to be there. I'm going to try to win a medal.

Q: Although you didn’t play, you were able to walk out with the Argentine team in Athens for the opening ceremony. What was the atmosphere like?

DN: It was amazing. It was a moment you will never forget. It was incredible to be with the other athletes. We really had fun.


Q: Argentina has a good record in the Olympics and has won a number of medals, including Gabriela Sabatini as a silver medalist in tennis in 1988. Would you like to add your name to the list?

DN: Well, I'm going to try. You always push hard to do it. It's not easy. It's not simple. It’s going to be the first time that I'm going to be there. I'm going to try my best and try to win the gold medal, of course.

Q: Who would you like to meet at the Olympics?

DN: Well, right now, nobody special. I will have to look and find somebody when I am there.

Q: If you were given another choice of sport, what do you think that would be, if it's not tennis?

DN: Probably soccer.

Q: What are you looking forward to in Beijing? Is there anything away from the tennis that you will be interested in seeing?

DN: Well, when I was in Athens, I saw all the sports. I saw as many as I could. I have a lot of friends that swim, play soccer, play hockey, everything. So I want to try to see all of them. But it's not going to be easy with our schedule. We have only one week, then we go back quickly to the States to play the US Open. I'm going to try to see a few, but I don't know.

Q: Do you think the Olympics will be a little bit similar to Davis Cup in that it's a team atmosphere, but it's also a little bit individual?

DN: It's different. I mean, it's still like one tournament in the tour. But you are with your teammates, with a lot of other athletes, so that makes the difference.


You can also listen this interview here.

(source ITF Tennis, photo/Reuters)