Rafael Nadal has undeniably left a mark in the tennis world with his unplayable forehand. While the Spaniard boasts numerous other skills, it’s his forehand that truly stands out. Renowned French coach Patrick Mouratoglou agrees with this claim, yet he believes there’s still room for improvement in that aspect of Nadal’s game.
Mouratoglou and Rafa are often considered competitors because both of them run two of the most popular and effective tennis academies in the world. Despite their rivalry, the French coach speaks highly of Nadal’s game. However, he still believes there is a slight weakness in Rafa’s forehand.
Mouratoglou stated that the Spaniard could have accelerated the fast balls as well as he did the slow balls.
“I think the only way to pretend, having one day, a better forehand than Rafa would be to accelerate fast balls as well as he was accelerating slower balls. But even this, he improved so much throughout his career. At the start of his career, when the ball was coming very fast on his forehand, he was slowing down,” said the coach in his video.
However, he felt that this issue was more prominent in the early years of Rafa’s journey. As Nadal’s career progressed, the coach believes he improved this aspect of his game.
“At the end of his career, he was able to reaccelerate. Even the little little flaws that he had at the start of his career, he’s been able to close the gap.”
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However, Mouratoglou, who coached the tennis legend Serena Williams, also accepted that Rafa has the best forehand in tennis history.
Mouratoglou’s assessment of Rafa’s forehand
The French coach then elaborated on why this is the case and shared several factors. First, being a lefty and the quality of his ball make it difficult for opponents to handle. Mouratoglou further explained how his topspin and ability to play high made the shot even more effective.
The accuracy with which Rafa hits the shot, his potential to change the rhythm of the ball, and his ability to shift from backhand to forehand — both in the short zone and down the line — make his forehand the best ever.
“I used to say that when the opponent was touching his forehand once, then he will start running and never stop,” Mouraoglou concluded.
It’s disheartening for fans to know that, after the Davis Cup next month, they won’t see the 22-time Grand Slam champion replicating his iconic shot ever again.
