Rafa’s coach, former number 1: “He will do everything to be in Rome. Italy has excellent players, great battles between Jannik and Alcaraz. Lorenzo just needs to mature”
Carlos Moya, former number 1 in the world, is the man who lives almost in symbiosis with Rafa Nadal. Especially in recent months with the Majorcan busy overcoming his latest injury which is dangerously delaying his return to the playing field. On Tuesday Moya, who is Nadal’s coach as well as a dear friend, took a day off to fly from Mallorca to Madrid and present a new line of padel rackets, Brisk, of which he has become an ambassador. An international project that starts from Kuwait and finds its operational base in Spain. So here’s an opportunity to talk about Rafa but not only, also about our Azzurri.
Carlos, what are the plans for Rafa’s return?
“There are plans, but they have to be adapted day after day to his physical condition. Originally we thought we would return for Montecarlo, Barcelona, Madrid. And instead we had to change everything. We would very much like to say that we will play for Rome but it is a daily adaptation to the conditions of Rafa who, incidentally, has a mad desire to get back on the pitch.”
How are you training in this period?
“A couple of hours on the pitch, then the gym, physiotherapy. He wants to recover well and get back to playing soon in the part of the year that is the most important to him. He’s giving it his all, as we’re used to seeing him on the pitch , he has the same attitude in recovery”.
Players complain about the schedule being too complex, is there really too much play? “Undoubtedly we play a lot, but it’s also the players who want it. Let’s say that having two important tournaments like Madrid and Rome one after the other and spread over 12 days doesn’t give tennis players too much room to recover. Once between one big tournament and another there was the 250m. Now they’re all big events one after the other, it’s not easy to recover”.
Carlos Alcaraz is the future of tennis. What do you think of this young phenomenon?
“He has already been number 1 in the world and therefore he has shown that he is ready. But this is a moment in which many young people are shining, including Sinner, Musetti, Rune. There is also a very strong 17-year-old Spaniard who His name is Martin Landaluce. Carlos is the modern version of our school: he plays well on all surfaces. He’s very imaginative, very physical. I think Spain’s present and future are assured in tennis.”
What is the difference between the tennis of your time and that of now?
“Times have changed, the difference is immense. Today’s tennis players are insane athletes. There has been enormous progress in physical preparation, in the study of nutrition, in prevention”.
How do you see Sinner? He always gets to the bottom of tournaments but he lacks the final flicker for victory.
“I think he lacks for nothing. There are players who mature earlier and others later, for sure Jannik will win a Grand Slam: each player has a different tempo and tennis-wise Sinner is top. I don’t see any physical problems on his part, with Alcaraz he did great battles were decided in two or three points”.
Berrettini, on the other hand, is still struggling with injuries…
“He showed what he’s worth, he’s a solid player. The physique is very important and unfortunately injuries are part of the sportsman’s life and you have to deal with it.”
And what do you think of Musetti?
“For me it is a phenomenon. A feast for the eyes, great technique, it just needs to mature and gain experience. There’s time. He has all the weapons, he just has to learn to handle them, understand when and how to use them and he has to learn to believe in himself, convince himself that he is up to the best”.
Do you think I need a supercoach? “Musetti works well with his coach, there are players who feel the need and others who don’t. For example, Sinner had a super coach, which was Piatti, but he felt the need to change… ”.
In closing: Nadal is back, right? He has no intention of quitting.
“Of course he’ll be back! We hope to see you in Rome, we’re working hard to make it but we’re taking care of his body. He doesn’t want to stop, on the contrary, he’s a competition animal and doesn’t play from Australia, he’s dying to start again ”.
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED