5 reasons why Rafael Nadal is the hot favourite to win the French Open 2017

Coaching

Bringing Carlos Moya onto his team has proved one of Nadal’s best moves to date

After years of coaching under his uncle Toni Nadal, with whom Rafa has worked since he was a toddler, the former World No. 1 last year finally heeded calls to mix up his changing squad, and announced he would join forces with former No.1 Carlos Moya.

Carlos Moyà, like Nadal, was a clay court specialist, but more than that, he was someone who was a gritty mental player – again, much like his new protege. Moya always did his homework and never shied from a game, and all his games he had one singular trademark- never admitting defeat and never slacking.

These are traits Nadal always had, but somehow, and perhaps under the pressure of the game over the years, he may have lost track of. But after joining forces with Moya, Nadal has had them in droves – and all traits which Nadal shares and believes in whole-heartedly.

Moyà is also an astute strategist as well as a phenomenal human being, values that Nadal has echoed throughout his career so far. For Nadalfinding someone so humble and someone in sync with his own cultural upbringing – a factor that he admits also kept him close to his Uncle Toni, is a bonus – and one that has within a few months already paid its biggest dividends.

It can only go up from here.