Nitto ATP Finals, London

[Kieran]

Yes, you do know what Moyà "has" on Rafa...he's been a mentor and a friend since Rafa was 12.

That doesn't cut no mustard with me, sister, my mustard remains uncut!

Moya has skipped two Wimbledons when Rafa was in with a fighters chance in both. That's not only unforgiveable, it's illogical. Plus, I see absolutely nothing added to Rafa's game that wasn't there before. I agree, I need to give up on the great uncle T, but I'm very grateful for the presence of Francisco Roig.

they're going to feel the pressure to best the younger man, something Nadal doesn't really have...since they're basically all younger now.

Absolutely! I'm gonna have to nickname him Ole Ralph soon...

 

[Moxie]

That doesn't cut no mustard with me, sister, my mustard remains uncut!

Moya has skipped two Wimbledons when Rafa was in with a fighters chance in both. That's not only unforgiveable, it's illogical. Plus, I see absolutely nothing added to Rafa's game that wasn't there before. I agree, I need to give up on the great uncle T, but I'm very grateful for the presence of Francisco Roig.

No one will ever accuse you of being less than stubborn, I'll give you that. If you refuse to give Moyà any credit for a more aggressive serve, and a (sometimes) more aggressive position on the baseline...like today...that's all you. Personally, I think that Charlie has been able to get Rafa to change a few old habits that had gone stagnant under Uncle Toni.

Absolutely! I'm gonna have to nickname him Ole Ralph soon...

Ole Ralph, or Olé Ralph? Let's hope "Christmas" comes early this year!

 

[Kieran]

I remember an aggressive serve in 2013, when the porn star was still in daytime soaps...

 

[Moxie]

I remember an aggressive serve in 2013, when the porn star was still in daytime soaps...

And we all remember an amazing serve in 2010, but he didn't hang onto it.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

What is the porn star Moya reference about?

 

[Kieran]

What is the porn star Moya reference about?

He’s about as useful to Rafa as a porn star, is all. He sits there scruffy and handsome in the box, looking like he’s just filmed an exhausting scene, while the real business is going on down on the court.

I’m sure he’s good for something, but he skipped two Wimbledon’s, you know? Unforgivable. Illogical. Rafa’s down two sets to one overnight in 2018, and the porn star is far away in a room with red walls, and red light bulbs, asking, what’s my motivation, dearie?

Hard to believe...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I would like to give credit to Francis Roig,forget about the Porn Star for a moment Roig has really helped Rafa on the faster surfaces in his career especially the lead up tournaments to the USO.,when Toni was in charge.2013 ring a bell anyone?

 

[Nadalfan2013]

He’s about as useful to Rafa as a porn star, is all. He sits there scruffy and handsome in the box, looking like he’s just filmed an exhausting scene, while the real business is going on down on the court.

I’m sure he’s good for something, but he skipped two Wimbledon’s, you know? Unforgivable. Illogical. Rafa’s down two sets to one overnight in 2018, and the porn star is far away in a room with red walls, and red light bulbs, asking, what’s my motivation, dearie?

Hard to believe...

Ok so it's a figure of speech, I see. Well, we don't know what deal Nadal and Moya have made together, maybe Nadal doesn't want a full time coach or maybe Moya needs time off for family reasons and it also works for Nadal. The bottom line is, ever since they got together Nadal has been doing very well and today he stands at 20 slams. To me, whatever they are doing is working!

 

[Moxie]

What is the porn star Moya reference about?

It's just a beef that Kieran has with Moyá. I'd call it jealousy. Or pointless.

 

[Moxie]

He’s about as useful to Rafa as a porn star, is all. He sits there scruffy and handsome in the box, looking like he’s just filmed an exhausting scene, while the real business is going on down on the court.

I’m sure he’s good for something, but he skipped two Wimbledon’s, you know? Unforgivable. Illogical. Rafa’s down two sets to one overnight in 2018, and the porn star is far away in a room with red walls, and red light bulbs, asking, what’s my motivation, dearie?

Hard to believe...

First of all, Moyà isn't that handsome. Second of all, why would Rafa, of all people, have a "porn star" in his box? We're not talking about Djokovic. He never looks that "exhausted," and he's done some good for Rafa. You're mad because he skipped two Wimbledons. Do you think Rafa lost those Wimbledons because Moyà wasn't there? Or Uncle Toni wasn't? I think you infantilize Rafa. I have a complaint about the closed roof in the 2018 SF, but you can't blame coaching as to why Rafa lost in the SF in 2019.

 

[rafanoy1992]

The winner of the Nadal vs. Thiem will be a very interesting match. I am curious to see if Nadal will hug the baseline like he did against Rublev's serve. Also, how did Thiem look against Tsitsipas?

 

[Moxie]

The winner of the Nadal vs. Thiem will be a very interesting match. I am curious to see if Nadal will hug the baseline like he did against Rublev's serve. Also, how did Thiem look against Tsitsipas?

Thiem and Tsitsipas looked as they have done recently, as much as I watched it: both played some great tennis, and neither one wholly convincing.

As to tomorrow, Schwartzman will either give Novak a hard time, or he'll get his be done in no time at all.

Medvedev v Zverev: I hope Daniil hands Sascha his ass.

 

[Kieran]

First of all, Moyà isn't that handsome. Second of all, why would Rafa, of all people, have a "porn star" in his box? We're not talking about Djokovic. He never looks that "exhausted," and he's done some good for Rafa. You're mad because he skipped two Wimbledons. Do you think Rafa lost those Wimbledons because Moyà wasn't there? Or Uncle Toni wasn't? I think you infantilize Rafa. I have a complaint about the closed roof in the 2018 SF, but you can't blame coaching as to why Rafa lost in the SF in 2019.

The “why he’d have a porn star in his box” is hard to answer if we take it too literally. Though when you mention Djokovic, now I see your point. Novak could have a coach who sticks pins in voodoo dolls sitting alongside a blow up doll masseuse, and it would “just Novak things.”

I don’t see any good that he’s done for Rafa. If I see anything in Rafa’s game now, I’ve seen it there before. So it isn’t only skipping Wimbledon - which is unforgivable and bizarre, since Rafa’s whole purpose is to compete for the greatest prizes, and somehow his coach is like, yeah I’m skipping that, I’ll see you at the next one.

You think it wouldn’t help if he was there? So then he wouldn’t help Rafa anywhere. What’s his point if Rafa goes in overnight two sets to one behind against his biggest rival, and his coach is no use to him?

And if he could have been use to him, why wasn’t he there?

Anyway, I largely call him the porn star as a jest, I don’t expect people to take it seriously. I know Rafa likes him, but I wish however, Rafa had a full time coach with him, someone with a pedigree at that level, and I think it’s a great pity Toni didn’t want to continue travelling, the greatest coach of them all.

Rafa’s still doing great though, despite that...

 

[Kieran]

Kinda like Rafa, Novak gets to start against “the fourth man”, the unfancied member of the group.

But Zverev and Medvedev face each other for the second match in a row. Can anyone remember this happening before?

 

[Nadalfan2013]

In 2015-2016 Nadal was kind of in a slump, then in late 2016 Moya came along and ever since 2017 Nadal has been adding slams. So I would say the addition of Moya definitely worked well for Nadal.

 

[Kieran]

In 2015-2016 Nadal was kind of in a slump, then in late 2016 Moya came along and ever since 2017 Nadal has been adding slams. So I would say the addition of Moya definitely worked well for Nadal.

Uncle Toni was still the coach in 2017. Moya has been coach without Toni since 2018, in which Rafa has won 4 slams, 3 of them in Paris, and I believe he had a great shot of adding at least one Wimbledon. Now, I'm not saying Moya has not done anything, but I think his effect has been negligible, which maybe it would be, anyway, given the huge foundations Toni laid down since Rafa was a kid. Nobody would improve Rafa's game by huge leaps and bounds from there anyway...

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Uncle Toni was still the coach in 2017. Moya has been coach without Toni since 2018, in which Rafa has won 4 slams, 3 of them in Paris, and I believe he had a great shot of adding at least one Wimbledon. Now, I'm not saying Moya has not done anything, but I think his effect has been negligible, which maybe it would be, anyway, given the huge foundations Toni laid down since Rafa was a kid. Nobody would improve Rafa's game by huge leaps and bounds from there anyway...

I think Moxie is right, you are jealous of Moya

 

[Kieran]

I think Moxie is right, you are jealous of Moya

Moxie is saying that to tease me. You think I was in the frame for the job?

No, I just don't think his impact has been anything more than normal, but his skipping Wimbledon has been detrimental. It's not a big deal, because Rafa is doing great and he has solid foundations, and thankfully we still have him at the top challenging for all the big trophies. We probably wouldn't have expected this in 2009, say...

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Moxie is saying that to tease me. You think I was in the frame for the job?

No, I just don't think his impact has been anything more than normal, but his skipping Wimbledon has been detrimental. It's not a big deal, because Rafa is doing great and he has solid foundations, and thankfully we still have him at the top challenging for all the big trophies. We probably wouldn't have expected this in 2009, say...

I think you are contradicting yourself a little bit. On one hand you keep saying that Moya hasn't brought something special to Nadal and on the other hand you act that if Moya was there at Wimbledon Nadal would have won it. It can't work both ways!

 

[Kieran]

I think you are contradicting yourself a little bit. On one hand you keep saying that Moya hasn't brought something special to Nadal and on the other hand you act that if Moya was there at Wimbledon Nadal would have won it. It can't work both ways!

Well, if only I had expressed myself so simply, it would be easy and we could all agree, but you'll notice I haven't been wholly negative about Moya, and I agreed that Rafa likes him and so his addition to the team isn't without any worth at all. You need to read my posts and not just react to what you want to see. Like, I also didn't say that Rafa "would have won" Wimbledon if Moya was there.

As for Wimbledon, Rafa having him there during a stressful sleepover would have been much better than not having him there. He's now the head coach and so therefore has a position of influence. If you believe he'd have made no difference in that scenario then I'd have to ask you where you think he does make a difference.

If he could make a difference, then why wasn't he there? Small things matter, at that level - and this isn't a small thing.

I get it, by the way, that there's an obvious scheduling issue for Moya with Wimbledon, maybe he has family obligations that keep him from traveling, and that's understandable that he puts his family first, but it's a bizarre situation for a player of Rafa's stature to head to Wimbledon without his coach...