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Spain’s 13-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal has congratulated his countryman Carlos Moya on 15th Anniversary of the day he became world number one. It is interesting to know that Nadal remembers the day his David Cup team-mate and friend attained top ranking as Nadal was just 12-year-old at that time.
Nadal wrote on his facebook page on Sunday, “15 years ago today my friend Charly Moya became world #1. From here in Indian Wells: Congratulations Charly.” Moya was one of the members of that crop of Spanish tennis players who got in top 10 during late 90s.
However, he was the only one from his generation who reached the top spot. The Spanish legend won his only Grand Slam at the 1998 French Open and became world number one on March 15, 1999. He was the first male Spanish tennis player to reach the top ranking.
Although, his stint as the world number one lasted for just two weeks but it gave huge popularity to the sport of tennis in his country and its results can be seen now. Almost four years later, Juan Carlos Ferrero became the second Spaniard to rise to top ranking.
Following in their footsteps, Nadal became world number one for the first time on August 18, 2008. However, Nadal is the only Spaniard who regained the top ranking after losing it. He is also the first Spanish player to remain number one for more than 100 weeks.
Moya and Nadal are very close and one of the reasons for that is that they are from the same region in Spain. Both Grand Slam champions hail from Majorca and Nadal has always got support from his senior.
