Rafael Nadal and Carlos Moya have an interesting story together. The former emerged on the tennis circuit while Moya was at the peak of his career. Hailing from the same country, the two often practiced together at the tournaments.

During the 2003 Hamburg Masters, a 16-year-old Nadal squared off against Moya for the first time in his career. He caused a massive upset as he went on to defeat Moya in straight sets.

Further, a few years back, Moya joined Nadal’s team as his coach and has played a crucial role in some of Nadal’s biggest victories. Nadal’s agent, Carlos Costa, once opened up about the comparisons of Moya with Nadal.

Carlos Costa reveals how Rafael Nadal was different from Carlos Moya

In Nadal’s autobiography, Rafa: My Story, Costa opened up about Nadal’s qualities and how he connected with the public more than Moya. He said, “Towards the end of my career I played against him competitively, and yes, there came a point in a match when fear entered your heart. You knew you were in the presence of a born winner. Rafael is stronger mentally than everybody else; he’s made of special stuff.” 

Further, talking about the comparisons between Moya and Nadal, he said, “Moya was a more elegant player, with a more powerful serve, but Nadal’s ferocious competitiveness had more seductive force. He connected with the public in a way that Moya never could. Moya calmly accepts this because he knows he is not, nor ever was, in the same league as Nadal. Not in terms of talent, but in terms of attitude.”

DIVE DEEPER: VIDEO: Rafael Nadal’s Endearing Gesture Towards Roger Federer at the Peak of Their Intense Rivalry in 2009

Nadal’s next tournament

In the recently concluded US Open, the 22-time Grand Slam champion suffered a tough loss against Frances Tiafoe in the pre-quarterfinals. After his US Open setback, Nadal will participate in the Laver Cup. The three-day tournament will begin on September 23 in London.

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This tournament presents a brilliant opportunity for the fans to see the likes of Federer, Djokovic, and Murray together in one team apart from Nadal. There is a high possibility of Nadal pairing up with Federer to play doubles at the tournament.

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