'If Rafael Nadal's ego were big he wouldn't listen...', says top coach

Despite having achieved incredible successes throughout his career, Rafael Nadal has always been recognized for great humility off the pitch. In one of the most complicated seasons ever due to the pandemic, the Spanish phenomenon reached the peak of form at Roland Garros, where he conquered the 13th title, thus equaling the record of 20 Slams of his eternal rival Roger Federer. The 34-year-old from Manacor tried to use the momentum to also fulfill his dream of winning the ATP Finals for the first time, but his ride at the O2 Arena in London ended in the semi-final against Daniil Medvedev. Carlos Moya, who has been part of Rafa's team since 2016, was amazed above all by the open mind of the Iberian, who has always taken seriously the indications given to him by his team to improve. The 1998 Roland Garros winner admitted he would have liked to have had the same attitude as Nadal when he was younger. The start date of the 2021 season is still uncertain, but leaks leaks that the Australian Open could be postponed for a couple of weeks to allow players to quarantine.

Moya on Rafael Nadal's attitude

Carlos Moya has been a member of the Rafael Nadal camp since December 2016. And although the 44-year-old himself won just one Major in his career, he is impressed by the fact that his words are always taken seriously by the 20-time Slam champion. "In that sense, Rafa is an impeccable professional and trusts a lot in what we tell him within his work team," Moya said. "Then he will be the one to make the decisions, but it is something to value because not all players do it. Especially because we are not up to everything he has achieved during his career. We are talking about one of the best players in all of history and if Rafa's ego were big he wouldn't listen to us like he does every day. That shows his humility," he added. But the former World No. 1 wishes he was more like Rafael Nadal during his youth, listening to the experienced people around him. "In those days I do think I was already a bit of a coach and always tried to make my own decisions," Moya said. "I always had my work team, of course, but I liked being quite autonomous. Maybe I would tell the player Carlos to listen more to those around him." Rafa recorded 83.1% wins, which puts him on top of the ‘all-time’ list of players. Talking about his rivals, Novak Djokovic is on second with 82.9% and Roger Federer is on fourth with 82.1%. The legend of yesteryears, Bjorn Borg, is in third spot, recording 82.4%. It’s incredible that Rafa continues to enthrall us with these feats and performances. In an individual sport, to be at the top of your game is something worth being proud of. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3lqQLXx