Patrick Mouratoglou highlights 3 changes Rafael Nadal has made to his game over the years, says Spaniard is more aggressive than ever before

Patrick Mouratoglou recently took to Instagram to explain three changes he feels Rafael Nadal has made to his game over the years. In the coach's opinion, the Spaniard would not have become the player he is today if he had not adapted his game to the changing times.

Mouratoglou began by talking about how the Mallorcan burst onto the scene at the 2005 French Open, where he captivated everyone with his unique style. The French coach further highlighted how the Spaniard had made key changes to his game to adapt to faster surfaces after enjoying most of his initial success on the slow clay.

"In 2005, Rafael Nadal won his first Grand Slam title. He emerged with his own unique gamestyle, standing far behind the baseline and adding crazy spin to every shot. With this game, he became the king of clay," Mouratoglou said. "Now, he is not just a clay specialist. He's leading the race in terms of Grand Slams won. How did he adapt his game to winning on faster surfaces?"

The first change the 51-year-old noted about the 21-time Grand Slam champion's approach was his aggression. Mouratoglou remarked that the Spaniard is much more aggressive these days when compared to his early years when he was content to engage in extended rallies from the baseline.

According to the Frenchman, the 35-year-old is looking to keep the rallies as short as possible so he can conserve his energy.

"First, Rafa's game has become more and more aggressive. Early in his career, he would win games by forcing long rallies from baseline," Mouratoglou said. "Now he is looking to step inside the court more, take control of the points and shorten the rallies to conserve energy."

Patrick Mouratoglou says Rafael Nadal has improved his serve and slice return in recent years

Patrick Mouratoglou is of the opinion that Rafael Nadal's serve is a legitimate weapon now

Patrick Mouratoglou then shifted his focus to Rafael Nadal's new and improved first serve, which has developed into a legitimate weapon. The Frenchman proclaimed that the former World No. 1 now puts more weight into his serve, which gives him more power.

Furthermore, the coach emphasized how the 35-year-old now keeps his elbow higher while serving to produce more "whip-effect" on the ball.

"His serve went from a way to start the point to an actual weapon. He changed some elements in his technique which allowed him to gain more power. One of the biggest changes is improving his weight dispatch. [You can notice] how little his body was involved in the shot compared to how much he throws himself forward now," Mouratoglou said. "He has also changed his trophy position, keeping his elbow higher and allowing his racquet to drop lower down his back for an increased whip-effect."

Finally, Patrick Mouratoglou asserted that the addition of the slice to the World No. 4's repertoire is what has made him a far more formidable opponent on the court. The 51-year-old also recalled how the Mallorcan effectively employed the drop shot to throw Daniil Medvedev off his game in the Australian Open final, implying that the Spaniard constantly adds new weapons to his arsenal.

"Third, he has added a new shot to his game. In the Australian Open final, we saw him use the slice a lot to bring [Daniil] Medvedev to the net. He even used the drop shot to make him doubt," Mouratoglou said. "Rafa has also improved his volley game, and now, you'll see him come to the net. If he hadn't made those changes, I believe that he wouldn't be the player that he is today."