Andy Murray has revealed that an answer from a young Rafael Nadal convinced him to leave the UK and move to Spain as a teenager. The pair formed part of tennis' Big Four in their heyday, alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Nadal claimed 22 Grand Slam titles in his illustrious career, with 14 triumphs at the French Open. Murray wrote himself into British sporting history by winning three majors, including two unforgettable Wimbledon titles, as well as two Olympic gold medals.
Murray's move to Spain
While celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Rafa Nadal Academy, Murray revealed how asking his former rival a question inspired him to move abroad as a youngster.
“Me and Rafa have known each other since we were kids,” Murray explained. “The first time I saw him play in tournaments, he was different from the others, in the way he played, but already at 13, 14 years old, his attitude on the court, his concentration, focus and how mature he was.
“I still remember that. He was the reason I came to train in Spain. When I was 15, I moved to Barcelona to train for two years because I spoke to him at some of those events.”
The question that changed everything
Murray explained the conversation that convinced him to make the move: “I had asked him, 'What does a week look like for you?' He told me, 'I go to school in the morning, then in the afternoon I play tennis for two or three hours. Then I get to practice with Carlos Moya, who was No. 1 in the world.'
“Then he asked me the same question. I replied, 'I train for an hour, three times a week, with my mother.' That's when I understood that I had to change something.”
Rivalry and reunion
While his time in Spain helped shape Murray as a budding prospect, Nadal continued to get the better of him throughout their careers. The 39-year-old won just seven of their 24 head-to-head meetings, though he did emerge victorious in their final clash at the Madrid Open in 2016.
The two former rivals went head-to-head once again in a brief comeback as part of a team doubles event during the anniversary celebration last weekend. Nadal was joined by Moya, David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet, while Team Murray consisted of Marat Safin, Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini.
Aside from Murray and Safin suffering a 10-0 defeat to Nadal and Gasquet, the format was closely contested. With the overall scores standing at 3-3, Nadal and Moya triumphed over Murray and Fognini in a decider to claim victory.
Sharing his appreciation for Nadal and his academy, Murray said: "Thank you all for the atmosphere today, and thank you, Rafa, for inviting me. You have an incredible place here, all the children are incredibly fortunate to train somewhere like this."
