Why Nadal Is “Much Better Than He Could Have Hoped,” Says Moya.
Part Two of former No. 1’s exclusive interview with ATPTour.com.
ATPTour.com spoke to Nadal’s coach, former World No. 1 Carlos
ùMoya, in a wide-ranging conversation about the lefty’s comeback.
In the second part of that interview, Moya discussed how his charge has been coming along in training, the instances in which Nadal’s team needs to hold the 22-time major winner back, and what Rafa could do to surprise them.
Moya: Why Nadal ‘Much Better Than He Could Have Hoped’
Part Two of former No. 1’s exclusive interview with ATPTour.com
December 19, 2023
Rafael Nadal trained at his eponymous academy in Kuwait earlier this month under the watchful eye of his coach, Carlos Moya.
Corinne Dubreuil / Rafa Nadal Academy Kuwait
Rafael Nadal trained at his eponymous academy in Kuwait earlier this month under the watchful eye of his coach, Carlos Moya.
By Rafael Plaza
Rafael Nadal is preparing for his return to action after missing almost the entire 2023 season due to injury.
ATPTour.com spoke to Nadal’s coach, former World No.
1 Carlos Moya, in a wide-ranging conversation about the lefty’s comeback. In the second part of that interview, Moya discussed how his charge has been coming along in training, the instances in which Nadal’s team needs to hold the 22-time major winner back, and what Rafa could do to surprise them.
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“I think I do not deserve to end my sports career in a press room”. That’s what Rafa said when he announced in May that he was having an operation, but that he intended to come back to say goodbye. That must be what happened to Roger Federer, that he was unable to say goodbye in the way he would have wanted…
Nobody can say that sport is fair. Of all the great players who have retired throughout history…
very few have done so as they wanted. There have been two or three that have retired as they wanted. Sampras, maybe, comes to mind as someone who retired in the way they wanted, winning and being at the top. Of the rest, Edberg retired announcing that it was his last year, playing great tennis and still being relevant. I’m sure there are more, but I can’t think of more than two or three players that have really retired in the way they dreamed.
“I hope I am able to not demand of myself what I have demanded throughout my career,” Nadal said a few days ago on his Instagram account. Will he be able to do that?
It’s not easy. As much as we try and get that into his head and make him see it, when he steps on a tennis court, he’s a competitive animal. A large part of my work and that of the team has been to stop him. Stop him in terms of the load of training, stop him in terms of hours of work, intensity
