Carlos Moya on Nadal cancellations: "Can't afford a Grand Slam if it's not 100%"
Carlos Moya spoke about the background to the surprising cancellations of his protégé Rafael Nadal for the Olympics and Wimbledon.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Jun 22, 2021, 08:00 am
"The clay court tour was very tough, with a lot of physical and mental pressure. Rafa finished it exhausted," Carlos Moya told Spanish television. His protégé, the 20-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, would now take a well-deserved break in order to be able to return to the tour in full strength, the instructor said.
Because the direction of the exceptional Spanish talent is long-term, as Moya emphasized: "This is a marathon, a long-distance race in which tough decisions have to be made, and he has considered that it is best to stop in order to be full of strength to come back. " That is also essential for the Mallorcan’s claims: "He cannot afford a Grand Slam if he is not at 100%."
Defeat against Djokovic is not a reason
This is primarily due to the fact that the pressure of expectation on the 35-year-old is enormously high, as Moya explained: "Because of what his image implies, his prestige and the person he is," said Moya. In addition, the break was a precautionary measure, as the coach emphasized: "Two years ago, Rafa reached a point of great mental exhaustion that was very difficult to get out of, and now he has interpreted that he was close to it again."
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According to the Spaniard, the surprise defeat against Novak Djokovic at the French Open 2021 would not have had any impact on the cancellations: "The defeat did not affect as much as the fact that it was a week less than usual to prepare for Wimbledon, as well the context in which we are with the pandemic. " The sparsely filled ranks and the quarantine in London would have had an additional influence on the Spaniard's decision.