MOYA ON THE REBOUND

Injuries almost forced Spanish legend Carlos Moya to retire, but he's back to put a cap on a storied career.

By Sebastian del Marmol; Photography by Steve Shaw

Share this article:

World No. 1. French Open champion. Davis Cup winner. Even being named one of People’s 50 Most Beautiful People. Yup, Spanish tennis icon Carlos Moyá has seen a great many things in his 33 years.

So when the patriarch of the Spanish Armada pulled up lame last year with a variety of lower-body ailments, you could understand if he decided he’d already done enough in his career. Maybe it was time to hang up his racquet. Or maybe not, muchacho!

“I went five months without being able to exercise my legs [after surgery], so I lost a lot of body mass. What motivated me was to get them as strong as they were before,” says Carlos, who is featured in the new Montenegro Method DVD Series.

Fifteen years of hard, clay and grass courts will take a toll on any body, and Carlos has felt it. That’s why he credits an emphasis on flexibility and stretching with extending his career to where few have gone in the tennis world. He starts every training session or match with quick joint-mobility exercises, stretches and then gently eases his way into full-body movement. He’s also a big video game fan, and says he enjoys hand-eye coordination activities off the court.

If his body has broken down some in recent years, his mind continues as keen as ever. Carlos credits his will to win as the single most important factor in his career. He still feels the pressure to perform and do well every time he gets on the court, but he concentrates on each match without looking to see who’s next up on his side of the draw.