Moya: Why Nadal 'Much Better Than He Could Have Hoped'

Moya discusses Nadal's comeback and training progress

Rafael Nadal is preparing to make his comeback after a lengthy injury layoff. In an interview with ATPTour.com, Nadal's coach Carlos Moya talked extensively about the left-hander's training progress and how the team is managing his workload. Moya revealed that one of their main challenges is holding Nadal back and ensuring that he doesn't push himself too hard. They have been monitoring his training load, hours of work, and intensity to prevent any setbacks.

Moya also shared an interesting technique they use during training sessions. Sometimes, he allows Nadal to organize the training session himself, which gives them insight into Nadal's preferences and helps them understand if there are any adjustments they need to make. So far, Nadal has been fully committed and eager to push himself, despite acknowledging that he is not yet at his best level.

During their training in Kuwait, working with player Fils, Nadal's progress exceeded their expectations. Moya expressed his satisfaction with Nadal's performance, stating that it was much better than he could have hoped for. Nadal himself initially doubted his competitiveness but left convinced that he may have a real chance of success.

Nadal's concerns about returning to competition

As Nadal prepares to return to competitive tennis, his coach Moya highlighted his biggest fear: handling the physical and mental demands of matches. Moya expressed concerns about the transition from practice sessions to actual competition. The conditions and pressure in a match are different from practice, and Moya believes that managing the match loads will be the greatest challenge for Nadal. Especially in Grand Slam tournaments, where matches can be best of five sets and require quick turnarounds between matches.

However, Moya remains optimistic and believes that Nadal has enough time to prepare and build up his fitness. They have a month before the Australian Open, and Moya is confident that the tournament in Brisbane and demanding practice sessions will help Nadal regain his match fitness. Although facing strong opponents in the early rounds will be challenging, Moya emphasizes the importance of Nadal playing matches and finding his rhythm.

When asked about Nadal's goals for the upcoming season, Moya mentioned that Roland Garros remains a significant tournament for him. Nadal has always had a special passion for the French Open and the entire clay swing season. However, Moya stressed that they need to assess Nadal's performance and competitiveness in the coming months before setting specific goals.

The possibility of Nadal continuing beyond this year

While Nadal has mentioned that this may be his last year, Moya believes that it's difficult to completely close the door on continuing his career. Leaving a sport that one has played for a lifetime is challenging, and Nadal doesn't want to limit himself. If Nadal enjoys the game, performs well, and is physically capable, Moya sees no reason why he wouldn't continue. However, there are still many unknowns, and it's impossible to predict where Nadal will be in a year.

Moya concludes by stating that nothing Nadal does on the court would surprise him. He has witnessed incredible feats from Nadal throughout their time together and considers him a truly exceptional player. Regardless of what happens, Nadal's resilience and determination have already left an indelible mark on the tennis world.