Moya’s Warning: ‘There’s Still Work To Be Done’

As the sun beat down on Saturday, in over 25 degrees of heat, Rafael Nadal was training at Roland Garros in preparation for his final against Casper Ruud. Surrounded by his family and friends in the stands, and accompanied by his team, Spaniard put the finishing touches on his game as he prepares to do battle for the Musketeers Cup for the 14th time.

“There’s still work to be done and it’s the most important work, closing out the tournament,” warned coach Carlos Moya in conversation with ATPTour.com. “We’ll see how it goes Sunday, there is a lot of wear and tear but it’s the final push.

“It’s not the way you want to reach a final. We’re very sorry for [Alexander] Zverev and we wish him a speedy recovery. So far, Rafa has done an astonishing job of surviving without playing his best tennis. It was an epic effort up to the moment when Zverev was injured.”

_{^{Photo Credit: Getty Images}}

Now, Nadal can turn his attention to Ruud, who has been training at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar since August 2018. Although they have never crossed swords in anger (Sunday’s tie will be the first match in their ATP Head2Head series), they know each other very well.

“Those of us that are close to Rafa knows how good Casper is,” explained Moya. “We have a lot of respect for him and are anticipating a long and hard battle. He’s a player who knows the intricacies of this surface very well and it’s going to be a tough match. He’s very confident. He’s one of the best clay players on Tour. We expect a battle from the baseline, with long rallies.”

However, it will be Ruud’s first Grand Slam final and experience may be key.

“It’s not the easiest place to play your first Grand Slam final,” admitted Moya. “And anything can happen. I won’t get tired of saying it; we’re talking about Roland Garros and Rafa Nadal.”

Now, the opportunity to pull away in the Grand Slam titles race is just one victory away for Nadal. The Spaniard is searching for a record-extending 22nd major title, with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer tied on 20. However, it is a subject that has not been broached in the fifth seed’s camp, not now or at any time over the past two weeks.

“We haven’t spoken about number 22,” admitted Moya. “Obviously, it’s on the horizon, but that would add pressure to Rafa. It’s not necessary,” he continued. “The fact that he has won 13 Roland Garros [titles], maybe 14 tomorrow, … is practically impossible to beat. In 17 years, with all the injuries he’s had, he hasn’t spent a single week outside the Top 10 and has achieved all of that. It is incredible.”