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Carlos Moya exclusive - Rafael Nadal’s Calendar Grand Slam goal is ‘realistic’ ahead of bid to win Wimbledon
After winning the Australian Open and French Open, Rafael Nadal would need to win Wimbledon to move one step closer to a historic Calendar Grand Slam, last achieved in the men’s singles by Rod Laver in 1969. Novak Djokovic, who held all four titles between 2015 and 2016, poses as the Spaniard’s greatest threat at SW19 this coming fortnight.
By
Michael Hincks
Updated 22/06/2022 at 13:36 GMT+1
Rafael Nadal is not losing sleep over the prospect of a Wimbledon triumph moving him closer to completing a Calendar Grand Slam, his coach Carlos Moya told Eurosport Spain.
After winning the Australian Open and French Open, Nadal is halfway towards a feat that only Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) have achieved in the men’s singles.
Novak Djokovic has held all four majors at the same time, across 2015 and 2016, and was then unable to seal the Calendar Grand Slam last year when losing the US Open final to Daniil Medvedev.
With Wimbledon starting next week, Djokovic will be looking to deny Nadal his third major of the year, and the latter goes in as the slight underdog given he has not won there for 12 years.
“It is a realistic goal, right now he is the only one that can achieve it this year,” Moya said. “It is the first time in his career that he is in a position to achieve it, but we see it as something far away, it is only halfway.
“At the moment he doesn't lose sleep, as a team few things keep us up at night and this is not one of them. We have to go little by little, it is not something that we talk about, it is not a primary objective, although we are not going to give up on it.”
Nadal has not played since Roland-Garros, but he is set to play the invitation event at Hurlingham Club this week, offering the Spaniard a chance to get to grips with the London grass ahead of Wimbledon.
“We had a pretty good week of training in Mallorca, although the grass there is a bit different from London, maybe that's why it's taking a little bit for him to adapt to the grass in England.
“Right now, the important thing is that he spends time on the court and that his foot is fine, little by little he will pick up the pace, we also hope that the draw will help, especially in the first games.
“At Wimbledon there can always be more surprises. Regardless of the player you get in those first rounds, what is dangerous is the type of opponent you get, you have to be careful with the sluggers. Now he has two important exhibition matches, my confidence in him for Wimbledon remains the highest. He is perfectly suited to grass.”
www.eurosport.co.uk
After winning the Australian Open and French Open, Rafael Nadal would need to win Wimbledon to move one step closer to a historic Calendar Grand Slam, last achieved in the men’s singles by Rod Laver in 1969. Novak Djokovic, who held all four titles between 2015 and 2016, poses as the Spaniard’s greatest threat at SW19 this coming fortnight.
By
Michael Hincks
Updated 22/06/2022 at 13:36 GMT+1
Rafael Nadal is not losing sleep over the prospect of a Wimbledon triumph moving him closer to completing a Calendar Grand Slam, his coach Carlos Moya told Eurosport Spain.
After winning the Australian Open and French Open, Nadal is halfway towards a feat that only Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) have achieved in the men’s singles.
Novak Djokovic has held all four majors at the same time, across 2015 and 2016, and was then unable to seal the Calendar Grand Slam last year when losing the US Open final to Daniil Medvedev.
With Wimbledon starting next week, Djokovic will be looking to deny Nadal his third major of the year, and the latter goes in as the slight underdog given he has not won there for 12 years.
“It is a realistic goal, right now he is the only one that can achieve it this year,” Moya said. “It is the first time in his career that he is in a position to achieve it, but we see it as something far away, it is only halfway.
“At the moment he doesn't lose sleep, as a team few things keep us up at night and this is not one of them. We have to go little by little, it is not something that we talk about, it is not a primary objective, although we are not going to give up on it.”
Nadal has not played since Roland-Garros, but he is set to play the invitation event at Hurlingham Club this week, offering the Spaniard a chance to get to grips with the London grass ahead of Wimbledon.
“We had a pretty good week of training in Mallorca, although the grass there is a bit different from London, maybe that's why it's taking a little bit for him to adapt to the grass in England.
“Right now, the important thing is that he spends time on the court and that his foot is fine, little by little he will pick up the pace, we also hope that the draw will help, especially in the first games.
“At Wimbledon there can always be more surprises. Regardless of the player you get in those first rounds, what is dangerous is the type of opponent you get, you have to be careful with the sluggers. Now he has two important exhibition matches, my confidence in him for Wimbledon remains the highest. He is perfectly suited to grass.”

Carlos Moya exclusive - Rafael Nadal’s Calendar Grand Slam goal is ‘realistic’ ahead of bid to win Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal is not losing sleep over the prospect of a Wimbledon triumph moving him closer to completing a Calendar Grand Slam, his coach Carlos Moya said.
