Carlos Moya unsure how Rafael Nadal will cope with Grand Slam demands on comeback
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Spain's Rafael Nadal, who had surgery in June, has said 2024 could be his final year on tour.
PHOTO: REUTERS
MADRID – Rafael Nadal has shown good progress in training since recovering from a hip injury, but his coach Carlos Moya still worries about how the former world No. 1’s body will hold up against the rigours of Grand Slam tennis.
The 37-year-old suffered a muscle issue at Melbourne Park in January that wiped out his season but will return to Brisbane in December before playing at the Jan 14-28 Australian Open. Two of his 22 Grand Slam titles were from the season-opening Grand Slam.
The Spaniard, who had surgery in June, has said 2024 could be his final year on tour and has stepped up training in recent months in order to make a comeback and ensure he finishes his career on court.
“Rafa’s going to go from training, which he’s doing very well, to competing. It’s impossible to have the same conditions in training as in a match,” the 47-year-old Moya, also from Spain, said in an interview with the ATP Tour.
“Playing the best of five sets, win, rest, return to court two days later... That’s the doubt I have right now, especially for a Grand Slam. But we have time. If the Australian Open started tomorrow, it would be a real fear.
“There’s still a month left, a tournament before in Brisbane, demanding training... I think all of this will put him in a position to be able to endure it. But now that’s my fear.”
The Mallorca native dropped out of the top 100 for the first time in 20 years earlier this season and has slipped to No. 666 but is eligible for a protected ranking having been injured and not competing for at least six months.
Nadal said earlier in December: “There are many chances that it will be my last year, without any doubt. There are chances that it may only be half a year. There are possibilities that it may be a full year.
“There are possibilities that we may not be able to reach all that. These are things that right now I do not have the capacity to be able to answer.
“I am only in condition to say that I return to compete. There are many possibilities that it is my last year and I am going to enjoy the tournaments in that way...
“I still believe what I said in the last press conference, that I do not deserve to end my sports career in a press room.”
However, Moya said Nadal would not be able to avoid strong opponents in the early rounds and would need favourable draws to build up his rhythm.
“I’ve never been of the thought that Rafa needs rhythm because he’s too good for that. But now the situation is different,” Moya said. REUTERS
