Daniil Medvedev is maybe the best when it comes to moving on court, but Rafael Nadal can move amazingly even though he is old: Strength coach Eric Hernandez
Eric Hernandez, who has served as Daniil Medvedev's strength and conditioning coach since 2014, is of the opinion that the World No. 2 is probably the best mover on the tennis court at the moment. Hernandez also reckons 21-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal is "amazing" in his on-court movement despite his advanced age.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Functional Tennis Podcast, Eric Hernandez remarked that the reigning US Open champion is unparalleled when it comes to court coverage.
🗣 "Nadal is the greatest fighter in the history of our sport."
🗣 "Daniil's movements are just unbelievable."
Ahead of their semi-final match, Nadal & Medvedev explain what makes the other great! https://t.co/UigSlcjLOC
But after much deliberation as to who could rival him, he could only come up with Nadal's name. He added that the Spaniard is a "legend of the game" who is almost as quick as Medvedev despite being almost an entire decade older than the Russian.
"I am really focussed on the legs and the movement of the legs, because it is the most important thing for me. It is not easy to give you someone [other than Daniil Medvedev] because, for me, he is maybe the best when it comes to moving on the court," Hernandez said. "Someone like [Rafael] Nadal [is great too]. He is a legend of the sport and he can move amazingly even though he is old."
Nadal's peak movement is a defence phenomenon... insane lateral movement. https://t.co/R9T6Pzed1d
Rafael Nadal could be back in action at the Madrid Masters, Daniil Medvedev's participation remains uncertain
Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev are recovering from their respective injuries at the moment, and while fans can expect the Spaniard to return at the upcoming Madrid Masters, the Russian's participation remains uncertain.
2⃣
@mariasakkari & @DaniilMedwed
#MMOPEN https://t.co/4syzdeUw5D
The Mallorcan has already updated fans about his return to the practice courts in a "light training" session following his rib stress fracture. The Russian, meanwhile, hasn't given an official update on his return date following the hernia surgery that originally had him out for between one and two months. However, both Nadal and Medvedev are part of the entry list announced by Madrid Open organizers on social media.
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@SabalenkaA & @RafaelNadal
#MMOPEN https://t.co/TGfEIwxU48
If they do make it to Madrid, the pair will be joined by a very strong line-up that includes the likes of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Monte-Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas and Miami champion Carlos Alcaraz, among others.
Nadal is a five-time champion in Madrid, having won the 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2017 editions. Daniil Medvedev, on the other hand, has never gone past the third round (in three appearances). Overall, he has a 1-3 win/loss record in Madrid, with his sole victory coming in the most recent edition in 2021.
The World No. 2 is only defending 90 points at the tournament, while the Spaniard is defending 180 points thanks to a semi-final finish in 2019.
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