World No.2 Rafael Nadal secured the fourth US Open title of his career, defeating Daniil Medvedev after nearly 5 hours of battling tennis in the finals of the US Open 2019 on Sunday. Nadal’s coach, Carlos Moya confessed that the tussling five sets proved a lot for the Spaniard.
Speaking at the El Larguero channel podcast shortly after the match, the Mallorcan coach admitted that he encouraged Rafael Nadal from the box as the 33-year-old was exhausted in what turned out to be a boxing match.
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“In difficult moments you look for give him courage, you make him understand that even your opponent is tired, even if you sometimes invent it (laughs). It was like a boxing match,” Carlos Moya said in the podcast.
Carlos Moya also revealed that the 19-time Grand Slam champion was so tired that he couldn’t even put his clothes on and his team members had to help him.
The 43-years-old continued, “Rafa was exhausted after the game, he got cramps in the locker room. He couldn’t even put on his clothes, we had to help him. It was dead.”
He further added, “It’s incredible. It was a very nervous final, with a lot of tension. One of the most exciting matches I have ever seen in my life, in the end, Rafa came to the end safe and sound.”
Carlos Moya, however, didn’t expect Medvedev to play for almost five hours after two weeks of intense hardcourt tennis. He said, “Medvedev played at a very high level. We thought he was a little tired, but instead arrived very fresh, physically and mentally.”
However, Carlos Moya confirmed Nadal’s presence at the
Davis Cup final in Madrid, which is scheduled at the end of the season. He said, “The idea is to be there, Davis’s final is in his calendar.”