Carlos Moya

Carlos Moyá is a Spanish former professional tennis player and coach, widely recognized as a dominant force on clay courts and a former World No. 1 in men's singles.

He won 20 ATP Tour-level singles titles, notably capturing the French Open in 1998, and was part of Spain's victorious Davis Cup team in 2004.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Carlos Moyá Llompart was born on August 27, 1976, in Palma, Mallorca, Spain. He stands 191 cm tall and he plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand. He currently resides in Madrid, Spain.

Moyá began playing tennis at the age of six. His parents are Andres and Pilar, and he has an older sister, Begona, and an older brother, Andres. He writes left-handed. He enjoys video games, often traveling with his PlayStation and Minidisc player, and is a fan of U2, Bon Jovi, and Queen.

A devoted supporter of the RCD Mallorca soccer team, he is also good friends with the Spanish music group Cafe' Quijano.

In May 1999, People Magazine in the U.S. selected him as one of its “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.”

He has been involved in local charity efforts in his hometown of Mallorca and, in 2005, donated his prize earnings from the Chennai Open to tsunami relief efforts, earning him the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award.

Professional Career

Carlos Moyá turned professional in 1995. He quickly made his mark on the ATP Tour, winning his first tournament at the top level in Buenos Aires in November 1995.

In May 1996, he achieved a notable victory by defeating clay-court legend Thomas Muster in the semifinals of the Munich Open, ending Muster's impressive 38-match winning streak on clay.

Moyá's career continued its ascent with a runner-up finish at the Australian Open in 1997. His defining achievement came in 1998 when he captured his lone major championship title, winning the French Open by defeating fellow Spaniard Àlex Corretja in the final.

That same year, he won his first ATP Masters Series title at the Monte-Carlo Masters. Shortly after his 23rd birthday, he reached the US Open semifinals and finished as runner-up at the ATP World Tour Championships, despite holding a two-sets-to-love lead against Corretja in the final.

Just four months later, in March 1999, Moyá briefly held the World No. 1 ranking, becoming the first Spanish player in history to achieve this milestone.

Throughout his career, Moyá won a total of 20 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including another significant hard-court title at the Cincinnati Open in 2002, where he defeated World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt in the final.

He consistently performed well across surfaces, winning titles in 11 different countries. In 2004, Moyá played a crucial role in the Spanish Davis Cup team's victory, contributing to a memorable triumph before a record crowd in Seville.

Moyá's career was eventually impacted by a nagging foot injury from which he failed to recover, leading to his retirement from professional tennis on November 17, 2010.

Coaching Career

Following his retirement as a player, Moyá transitioned into coaching. He notably coached Milos Raonic in 2016.

From 2016 to 2024, Moyá served as Rafael Nadal's primary coach, contributing to Nadal's success, which included numerous Grand Slam titles and ATP Masters 1000 victories.

He also serves as the Technical Director and Pro Tour Coach at the Rafa Nadal Academy.

Career Record

Singles

• Career record: 575–319 (64.3%)
• Career titles: 20
• Highest ranking: No. 1 (March 15, 1999)

Best Grand Slam Singles Performances

• Australian Open – F (1997)
• French Open – W (1998)
• Wimbledon – 4R (2004)
• US Open – SF (1998)

Other tournaments (Singles)

• Tour Finals – F (1998)
• Olympic Games – QF (2004)

Doubles

• Career record: 24–50 (32.4%)
• Career titles: 0
• Highest ranking: No. 108 (October 29, 2001)

Best Grand Slam Doubles Performances

• Australian Open – QF (2001)
• French Open – 1R
• Wimbledon – 1R
• US Open – 1R

Mixed Doubles

• Career record: 0–1
• Career titles: 0

Best Grand Slam Mixed Doubles Performances

• Australian Open – 1R (2006)
• French Open – 1R
• Wimbledon – 1R
• US Open – 1R

Team competitions

• Davis Cup – W (2004)