If he's a bit skimp on words with the medias, David Ferrer loves loves reading them. Avid reader, the Spanish player always has a book in his suitcase. At the time to face the seven best players of the year at the London Masters, the world No. 3 opened the doors of his library to We Are Tennis. No quotes, but direct and concise sentences.
What kind of player are you? Do you read as much as people say you do?
I don't know what people say, but I'm pretty good reader, it takes me between a week to ten days to finish a book.
Have you always loved reading or did it come with traveling and spending hours waiting during the tournaments?
No, it's since I was little. As far as I can remember, I always had two passions: sports and reading. When I wasn't playing football, tennis or paddle tennis, I was sitting somewhere with a book.
What are your favourite genres?
I love to read everything, but I'm really into biographies and historical books. My favourite novelists are Arturo Perez-Reverte and Ildefonso Falcones, two Spanish authors. With a particular preference for Perez-Reverte, and I'm not far from having read all his books.
The book that you are reading at the moment?
A Perez-Reverte's one, actually. I've just started his latest novel, "El tango de la vieja guardia" ("The tango of the old guard," ed.)
What do you like so much about him?
I like the way his stories are set in the history of Spain. Whether it's a swashbuckling story like "Captain Alatriste" or a novel set in the early twentieth century like "Fencing Master", he enhances the country's history. And his characters are also always very accurate.
The book that moved you the most in the last few months?
« El arte de no amargarse la vida », (« The art of not complicating your life », ed.), a self-help book written by Rafael Santandreu, a psychologist. It was in New York last year. It didn’t stop raining and the U.S. Open was completely disrupted. We spent our time at the Player's Lounge, waiting for the announcement that we had half an hour to play before the next downpour. It was pretty tedious. This book helped me to relativize the waiting, the stress, the anxiety... In short, to accept that we couldn't do anything about it. There are things over which we have no control and we must accept it. It’s not always easy because as a tennis player, we would rather control everything, always play well, always be on top physically and mentally... But you can’t. You must accept that the cards aren’t always in your hand and focus on the things that you can actually control.
Are you interested in biographies of tennis and other sports legends?
I liked the book "Mourinho versus Guardiola" by Juan Carlos Cubeiro and Leonor Gallardo. It explained well how they (then respectively coaches of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, ed.) chose different styles and methods for the same purpose: success.
Are you more Mourinho or Guardiola?
Guardiola. I admire him and his vision of football.
And did you read the autobiography of your friend Rafael Nadal?
Yes, and I would advise all young people who want to go far in sport to read it too. I would also like Roger Federer to write his and explains how he can always remain so unfazed whatever happens on the court.
And will you write yours one day?
I don't think so. (Smile). I’m a tennis player, a guy with no interesting stories to tell.
