Rapid Rafa: Serve, Play And Win Faster
Francis Roig and Carlos Moya, coaches of Rafael Nadal, maintain straight faces as they joke with Diego Schwartzman on Practice Court 1 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Schwartzman and his coach, Juan Ignacio Chela, are waiting for Nadal to wrap up a training session at 1:02 p.m. — two minutes past the time allotted on the court for Nadal and his team. Schwartzman smiles mischievously as the World No. 2 hits a few more volleys before shaking hands with his quarter-final opponent and finally stepping off the court. Nadal’s coaches exchange hearty hugs with the Argentine before following their charge off the court. It’s a humorous, light-hearted moment that exemplifies the good nature between the sides off the court ahead of Wednesday’s clash at the US Open. On the court, a ruthless Nadal is 7-0 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Schwartzman, including two four-set wins at Grand Slams (Australian Open, Roland Garros) in 2018. The coaches’ joke is also a reference to their pupil’s efficiency at the tournament so far. Nadal’s road to the quarter-finals has been almost impeccable, and the stats reinforce his position as…