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Rafael Nadal’s coach has revealed the Spanish superstar retains a “small hope” he will continue his career next year and return to Roland Garros. And former world No.1 Carlos Moya has insisted “the moment has not come” for the 22-time Grand Slam winner to retire.
After Nadal lost to Alex Zverev in the first round of the French Open, he said: “There’s a big percentage I won’t be back here, but I can’t say 100 per cent.”
His coach Moya has revealed Nadal had wanted at times to retire during his comeback – and could not play more than two sets when he returned to action in Barcelona.
But after showing the best form and fitness in his comeback in Paris, the 1998 French Open claimed the 14-time winner could have won the tournament if he had reached the quarter-finals. And Moya said he is not yet ready to accept that the Olympics will be the end of his career and he could return to the French Open net year.
“He said it himself,” said Moya. “It is not easy but he has a small hope. He does not know what is going to happen with his body, his level. But today, he does not want to close the door.”
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King of Clay Nadal had lost only three matches in 18 previous appearances at Roland Garros before Monday. Andy Moya claimed: “For me, Rafa, if he had reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, he would have remained a big favourite.
“That is what makes him different from the others. He would have won four consecutive matches, built up confidence and he would have tested himself physically. A player’s ultimate progression comes from competition.”
Speaking to L’Equipe, the Spaniard said Nadal and his team were still happy with the performance in the loss to Zverev after his battle to regain fitness from hip and abdominal injuries.
“I cannot say that it was not a defeat,” he said. “But his match here was the best since his return this season on the clay. But we knew that that could happen, we accept it and we can say that, at times, we saw the Rafa that everyone remembers. The atmosphere in the dressing room afterwards was good.
