"The moment he jumped, he destroyed the field": Rafael Nadal's junior days fondly remembered by ex-coach of Coco Gauff, Pere Riba
ATPWednesday, 13 December 2023 at 07:30
American tennis star Coco Gauff’s ex-coach Pere Riba opened
up about how Spain’s Rafael Nadal used to dominate in the juniors category in the
early days of his playing career.
The 37-year-old is often regarded as one of the greatest players
in the history of tennis in the men’s singles category in the Open era, having
won 22 Grand Slam titles. Riba, who recently split up with Gauff, opened up
about how Nadal used to dominate in the junior category.
"It's funny because, you know, he was 14 years old and
then he's, you know, he won the tournament and then when some people they were
asking him if he was gonna start to play the Masters," he said.
"And he was saying, 'Well, you, know 'I'm young', I'm
going step by step.' He was so humble. I remember the moment that he jumped to
these [higher level] tournaments, he destroyed the field and passed so far.”
Nadal has not played any professional tennis for more than 10
months as he continued his recovery from a knee injury sustained earlier this
year. It was because of this reason the former world number one ended up missing
three out of the four Grand Slams in 2023.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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