Moya says Nadal on way to being best ever player
TT
(Reuters) - Carlos Moya knew Rafael Nadal was good when he first set
eyes on his fellow Mallorcan as an 11-year-old but he never imagined the
precocious young talent would become a serial winner of grand slam trophies.
Speaking after bidding an emotional farewell to tennis on Sunday when
Nadal hosted an on-court ceremony for his close friend at the ATP World
Tour Finals, Moya said the world number one was now on the way to even
surpassing the milestones achieved by 16-times grand slam winner Roger
Federer.
"He's been amazing player. He is amazing player," the 34-year-old Moya,
who was embraced on the O2 Arena's Center Court by past and present
players including Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, told reporters.
"You know, knowing him for so long makes it special for me because first
time I met him, he was just 11, 12 years old.
"So he was a good prospect of being a good player but you never know
what can happen. I realized he had something special, but could never
think that he could be that good, to be honest.
"He's one of the greatest ever. But he's on his way to become, who
knows, maybe the greatest."
Moya, the former French Open champion and the first Spaniard to top the
ATP rankings in 1999, announced his retirement this week because of a
long-term foot injury.
Nadal describes Moya as his mentor and the 24-year-old, who plays
Roddick Monday, was clearly emotional as he spoke of Moya's contribution
to the sport.
"It's a sad day for me because I'm saying goodbye to a friend and tennis
is saying goodbye to a great ambassador," the nine-times grand slam
winner said in front of thousands of fans who had just watched Murray's
victory over Robin Soderling.
"He was the first Spaniard to be number one and he helped me a lot when
I was a young player. I've missed him a lot this last year when he's not
been on the circuit."
Moya said watching Nadal emerge had helped his own career in which he
won 20 titles, including Roland Garros in 1998.
"Maybe I said a thousand times, but the same way I helped him, I think
he helped me," Moya said. "When he was 13 or 14 we were practicing
together. I was near the top 10 and sometimes he was beating me during
the practice.
"That made me think, that made me improve and evolve. You see a kid like
this kicking your ass so you try to avoid that. So he made me improve
and made me more positive.
"I cannot say that Rafa owes me anything at all. He deserves all what
he's winning. Of course, aside from how good he is, he's a great person."
kaennorsing
> "Maybe I said a thousand times, but the same way I helped him, I think
> he helped me," Moya said. "When he was 13 or 14 we were practicing
> together. I was near the top 10 and sometimes he was beating me during
> the practice.
>
> "That made me think, that made me improve and evolve. You see a kid like
> this kicking your ass so you try to avoid that. So he made me improve
> and made me more positive.
Interesting. He's talking 10 and 11 years ago when Rafa was around
that age. That means that around the time when Moya became #1 in the
world (for two weeks in March of '99) he was getting beat up by a 13
and 14 year old Nadal.
Rodjk #613
Clown era?
;)
Rodjk #613
kaennorsing
I didn't dare suggest it myself but... ;)
TT
Well done for finding the most interesting part...I was trying to hide it.
Indeed, how fucking talented he is...
--
"I am no more a witch than you are a wizard, and if you take away my
life God will give you blood to drink"
-Sarah Good, 1692
Pelle Svanslös
Cute young lefties ... :)
--
"Another opponent, exhausted and thin!
Is bludgeoned to death by endurance and spin."
-- Anonymous
Sakari Lund
wrote:
>kaennorsing wrote:
>> On 22 nov, 00:34, TT <do...@email.me> wrote:
>>
>>> "Maybe I said a thousand times, but the same way I helped him, I think
>>> he helped me," Moya said. "When he was 13 or 14 we were practicing
>>> together. I was near the top 10 and sometimes he was beating me during
>>> the practice.
>>>
>>> "That made me think, that made me improve and evolve. You see a kid like
>>> this kicking your ass so you try to avoid that. So he made me improve
>>> and made me more positive.
>>
>> Interesting. He's talking 10 and 11 years ago when Rafa was around
>> that age. That means that around the time when Moya became #1 in the
>> world (for two weeks in March of '99) he was getting beat up by a 13
>> and 14 year old Nadal.
>
>Cute young lefties ... :)
Ouch...
Javier González
> On 22.11.2010 17:48, kaennorsing wrote:
>
> > On 22 nov, 00:34, TT<do...@email.me> wrote:
>
> >> "Maybe I said a thousand times, but the same way I helped him, I think
> >> he helped me," Moya said. "When he was 13 or 14 we were practicing
> >> together. I was near the top 10 and sometimes he was beating me during
> >> the practice.
>
> >> "That made me think, that made me improve and evolve. You see a kid like
> >> this kicking your ass so you try to avoid that. So he made me improve
> >> and made me more positive.
>
> > Interesting. He's talking 10 and 11 years ago when Rafa was around
> > that age. That means that around the time when Moya became #1 in the
> > world (for two weeks in March of '99) he was getting beat up by a 13
> > and 14 year old Nadal.
>
> Well done for finding the most interesting part...I was trying to hide it.
>
> Indeed, how fucking talented he is...
But Nadal and Federer are cleaning up because of the clown era, it's
not that they are freakishly talented, dontchaknow? If they had played
in the 90's they'd be a couple of Couriers at most.
Rodjk #613
> On Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:27:17 +0100, Pelle Svansl s <pe...@svans.los>
Took a moment to get that...
Rodjk #613
TT
That could be true for Federer. Then again he wasn't beating rank 1's at
13-14...
Javier González
> On 22.11.2010 20:39, Javier Gonz lez wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Nov 22, 1:31 pm, TT<do...@email.me> wrote:
> >> On 22.11.2010 17:48, kaennorsing wrote:
>
> >>> On 22 nov, 00:34, TT<do...@email.me> wrote:
>
> >>>> "Maybe I said a thousand times, but the same way I helped him, I think
> >>>> he helped me," Moya said. "When he was 13 or 14 we were practicing
> >>>> together. I was near the top 10 and sometimes he was beating me during
> >>>> the practice.
>
> >>>> "That made me think, that made me improve and evolve. You see a kid like
> >>>> this kicking your ass so you try to avoid that. So he made me improve
> >>>> and made me more positive.
>
> >>> Interesting. He's talking 10 and 11 years ago when Rafa was around
> >>> that age. That means that around the time when Moya became #1 in the
> >>> world (for two weeks in March of '99) he was getting beat up by a 13
> >>> and 14 year old Nadal.
>
> >> Well done for finding the most interesting part...I was trying to hide it.
>
> >> Indeed, how fucking talented he is...
>
> > But Nadal and Federer are cleaning up because of the clown era, it's
> > not that they are freakishly talented, dontchaknow? If they had played
> > in the 90's they'd be a couple of Couriers at most.
>
> That could be true for Federer. Then again he wasn't beating rank 1's at
> 13-14...
So predictable.
TT
I knew you were going to say that!
Javier González
And I knew I could count on you answering in no more than 5 minutes.
TT
But you didn't know this would take 30 minutes - just before rafa's match...
Patrick Kehoe
Nadal is trending that way right now... his 2010 season gives tennis
fans good reason to believe he might well be the leader in major's won
by the end of his career...
P
TT
24? That's a brave prediction.