Carlos Moya is backing Rafael Nadal to return to the top level and be a serious contestant at the big tournaments if his allows him.
Moya admitted that skipping Australian Open after a hip injury was demoralizing for his charge and explained why the 22-time Grand Slam Champion will make a return in Doha in mid-February.
The Spaniard pulled out of the 2024 Australian Open because of injured hip muscle upon his return to ATP tour at the Brisbane International earlier this month, after a year of hiatus. Before entering Brisbane, Nadal didn’t play a singles match since his 2023 Australian Open R2 defeat against American Mackenzie McDonald in which he picked a hip injury. The Mallorcan underwent arthroscopic surgery on the psoas muscle and missed the whole season while recovering from the injury.
Nadal is set to make his return in February, as he confirmed his participation at ATP 250-level event in Doha that stats on Feb 19.
Talking to Punto de Break, Moya backed the 37-year-old to return to his level as he assessed his physical and mental form ahead of another comeback.
“I have never been afraid of the level that Rafa can offer. On a physical or tennis level, I know him very well and I know how competitive and humble he is to row when he has to do it. He has a very great tactical intelligence and the different game plans that he has,” he said.
“In that aspect, what I saw does not surprise me because I have seen so many things about Rafa that it is no longer a surprise, but it is true that it could not have gone well and started with more doubts, but it reminded me of a bull that has been locked up for a year. You just drop it in the middle and it goes like a beast.
“After so many months of suffering, I saw him enjoying himself again, both in training and in the games in Brisbane. That was the version of Rafa that we all wanted to see.”
The Former World No. 1 also shared an insight how Nadal is recovering from his injury setback and admitted that missing the Melbourne was a difficult choice.
“Is improving. We are being cautious. Where we come from, we have to be careful. We are slowly starting to train again. It wasn’t serious, but it was serious enough to not play the Australian Open, which was one of the big goals he had,” Moya explained.
“You fill the glass and there is a drop that fills it. The injury itself is not serious, it can happen, but when you come from where you come from, with those hard months you have had and seeing yourself so close to returning to a very decent version, it is a shame. He really wanted to play the Australian Open.
“I knew it wasn’t the same, because he doesn’t react the same as last year. There he immediately saw that there was a very big limitation. In this case it was not the same. He was able to compete. A serious injury prevents you from doing what he was able to do against Thompson.
“Of course, you never know because we had already had problems in the past that seemed like it was going to be nothing and then it was a couple of months.
“A break at these levels is 3-4 weeks and in this case we have been lucky that it has not gone further. This happens in sport, but it is true that the morale blow has been strong because he seemed prepared and problems from the past come back to you again.”
Discussing Nadal’s return, Moya revealed that the hard-court tournament in Doha was chosen over clay-court events in South America in order to avoid frequent change of surfaces.
“Surface changes are not easy. While it is true that land should be better for your joints, going from fast (hard courts) to land (clay courts), to go back to the US [for Indian Wells and Miami] and then back to land, we thought it was a bit excessive,” the 20-time ATP tour titlist said.
“That’s why we chose to make this calendar, without so much change of surface.”
The 1998 Roland Garros champion was also quizzed if Nadal could return to the pre-injury level he produced in 2022.
“I am optimistic, but also realistic. Rafa won Roland Garros a year and a half ago. If he has not had continuity it is because of injuries. Until the Wimbledon injury, he had a spectacular year,” Moya added.
“I don’t know if he is at that level, but if injuries don’t prevent him, I think he will be a candidate player for the tournaments he plays. He will need continuity, but if he achieves it, he will return to his level.”