'It's clear it's not a goal' - Rafael Nadal's ambition isn't to become world No. 1, claims coach Carlos Moya
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ByEurosport
Updated 07/09/2022 at 06:11 GMT
Rafael Nadal can return to the top of the ATP rankings despite his shock fourth-round defeat to Frances Tiafoe in the US Open. The 36-year-old could leapfrog Daniil Medvedev into the top spot for the first time since February 2020 if neither Carlos Alcaraz nor Casper Ruud make the final of the US Open. However, his priority is being fit for upcoming Grand Slams, his coach Carlos Moya has stressed.
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Rafael Nadal’s priority is being fit for upcoming Grand Slams and not returning to the top of the ATP world rankings, his coach Carlos Moya has stressed.
Nadal suffered a shock exit at the fourth round of the US Open following defeat to Frances Tiafoe - but he’s still in with a chance of reaching the top spot for the first time in over two years.
The race to reach world No. 1 took another twist after Nadal bowed out of the US Open on Monday. But the Spaniard is still one of three players in the frame for the coveted top spot in the ATP rankings.
The ATP world rankings - in operation since 1973 and allowing for historical comparisons across eras - were headed by Daniil Medvedev on 6,880 points ahead of the tournament.
Nadal started the competition in second with 5,630 points thanks to his two major wins at the Australian Open and French Open in 2022.
His fate is now out of his hands, but Nadal could still return to No. 1 for the first time since February 2020 if neither Carlos Alcaraz nor Casper Ruud make the final of the US Open.
However, Nadal’s mind is focused only on returning to full fitness, according to Moya.
“Being number one again has a lot of value; ending the year at the top of the rankings, even more so,” Moya told the ATP.
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“If you look at his schedule, it’s clear that it’s not a goal. The most important thing for him is looking after his body and being well for the Grand Slams. But if it’s put in front of him, of course we’ll go for it.”
Reflecting on the defeat to 22nd seed Tiafoe, Nadal suggested he could take some time away from tennis.
“I need to fix things, life, then I don't know when I'm going to come back,” said Nadal.
“I going to try to be ready mentally. When I feel that I will be ready to compete again, I will be there.
“Of course, this was not the ideal preparation for me. But in other cases it went the right way, even with not the perfect preparation, no? We can't find excuses. We need to be enough [of a] critic with myself. That's the only way to improve or that's the only way that I understand you are able to find solutions.
“I have been practising well the week before, honestly. But then when the competition start, my level went down. That's the true. For some reason, I don't know, mental issues in terms of a lot of things happened the last couple of months. Maybe... but doesn't matter.
“At the end the only thing that happened is we went to the fourth round of the US Open and I faced a player that was better than me. And that's why I am having a plane back home.”
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