"Rafael Nadal is going to die": Coach Carlos Moya on Spaniard's 'no brake' approach to French Open campaign ahead of 1R clash against Alexander Zverev

Rafael Nadal's coach, Carlos Moya, has shared that the Spaniard is ready to give his all on the court as he embarks on what could be his final French Open campaign. Nadal takes on Alexander Zverev in a blockbuster opening-round clash at the claycourt Major on Monday.

As Nadal commences his quest for his 15th French Open title, he faces a formidable opponent in fourth seed Zverev in the first round. Fresh off his triumph at the Italian Open, the German will be brimming with confidence in the showdown against the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

Despite the difficult challenge ahead, Rafael Nadal's coach Carlos Moya revealed in an interview with the ATP Tour that the former World No. 1 is poised to "give everything" on the court.

Moya emphasized that all brakes are off as the 37-year-old contests his first best-of-five tournament in a year. He expressed confidence in Nadal's preparedness, citing the threat of overexertion as the only potential risk of injury.

"There is no longer any brake. Rafa is going to die, going 100%, giving everything. We enter a new situation: five-set matches. He hasn't had that experience for two years, but we believe he is ready," he said.

"There is no more risk than in Brisbane or any other tournament. If something happens to him, it is not because he lacks training or games. It must have been an overexertion that his body could not withstand, but we have guarantees that nothing should happen," he added.

Nevertheless, Moya didn't mince words regarding the difficulty of the 22-time Grand Slam champion's draw, admitting that Zverev is one of the worst rivals he could come up against in his opening match.

"It is clear that he is one of the worst rivals [Zverev] could face. He is very fit and has no problems, neither injuries nor confidence. And he just won in Rome," Moya said.

"It's something he could get through. Assuming that Rafa is not seeded, the draws had been good until now, correct. And this time it was the worst that could happen," he added.

---

"We expected Rafael Nadal to gain rhythm little by little, the circumstances are different" - Carlos Moya on Spaniard's French Open 1R clash against Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev and the Spaniard (right)

Carlos Moya went on to say that they had hoped for a favorable draw that would allow Rafael Nadal to gradually build his rhythm, conceding that those hopes were dashed with Zverev being the Spaniard's first-round opponent.

Nevertheless, Moya disclosed that the 22-time Grand Slam champion is approaching the clash with a positive mindset as he backed the 37-year-old to emerge victorious if he replicates the level of his performance in training sessions.

"We expected a draw that would allow him to gain rhythm and confidence little by little. The circumstances are different. Zverev has touched us and we have to face it in the best way. He is eager, with a very positive attitude," he said.

"For our part, we know where we are and who we are with. You cling to that. It will be a very tough and disputed match. If Rafa manages to play at the level that he is showing in training... why not think about the best," he added.

The meeting between Nadal and Alexander Zverev is a rematch of their closely contested 2022 French Open semifinal, which the Spaniard led 7-6(8), 6-6 when Zverev was forced to retire due to an ankle injury.