Rafael Nadal tips ‘amazing champion’ Carlos Moya to help Milos Raonic reach next level



ABU DHABI // Rafael Nadal has backed Milos Raonic’s decision to add “good friend” Carlos Moya to his coaching team and believes the former world No 1 and 1998 French Open champion could be the catalyst to help achieve the Canadian’s dreams.

Raonic has hired Moya, the former Spanish Davis Cup captain, to fill the spot left vacant by Croatian Ivan Ljubicic’s departure in November.

Ljubicic has since joined Roger Federer’s coaching staff and Raonic, desperate to make up for lost time after an injury-disrupted 2015, has turned to Moya, who retired in 2010 after a 15-year career that included one grand slam title at Roland Garros and a trip to the 1997 Australian Open, where he finished runner-up to Pete Sampras.

“Carlos is an amazing champion and a great ambassador of our sport,” said Nadal after his 7-6(2), 6-3 win over Raonic in the final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship on Saturday night. “He has a lot of knowledge about this sport, so for sure he will help Milos in some aspects. Carlos is a close friend of mine so I wish him and Milos all the best.”

Analysis: Rafael Nadal, looking like the warrior of old in Abu Dhabi, focused firmly on the future

Moya was the first Spaniard to reach the top of the ATP rankings since they were introduced in 1973 and he finished his career with 20 titles alongside a Davis Cup winner’s medal.

Raonic, 25, has reached as high as No 4 (May, 2015) in the rankings and, in reaching the last four at the 2014 Wimbledon, he became the first Canadian men’s singles player to reach the semi-finals at a grand slam since Robert Powell in 1908.

The Montenegro-born big-server, however, has much bigger ambitions and is hoping Moya will help him achieve them.

“It’s going to be a great complement to my team,” Raonic said. “I have a big team around me. Guys love what they do and they really want to help me dearly and he’s no exception to that.

“I think he brings a lot of experience and understanding, but at the same time, he’s going to work very hard with me on court. He’s also going to give me that kind of calm and peace in moments where maybe I can’t find it on my own off the court and before the important matches.”

Gallery: The best pictures from the three days of the eighth Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Raonic, however, is confident about his health, especially his bothersome back, as he starts 2016.

“I’m feeling great,” he said. “Actually I know I am definitely in significantly better shape than I have been in before. So, you know, I’m doing well, the right work, hopefully my body appreciates it.

“I’d like to do much better [in 2016] than I have in grand slams. For that to happen, I have to be healthy to give myself a chance to play good tennis.”

Making his first appearance in Abu Dhabi, Raonic was also pleased with his performance in reaching the MWTC final, beating South African Kevin Anderson before edging world No 4 Stan Wawrinka, a man he has failed to beat in four attempts on the ATP Tour, in the semis.

“It’s been phenomenal,” Raonic said. “It’s been sort of a premiere and premium way to set up 2016. You get three great matches against great players and it gives you a lot to build up off, a lot of insight.

“Hopefully things will keep going well through the first month of the year and maybe I can play Rafa [Nadal] again in a later stage of a bigger tournament.”

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The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

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Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 
The biog

Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza

Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine 

France is her favourite country to visit

Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family

Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter

Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country

The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns

Her motto is to never stop working for the country

The%20specs
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SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20electric%20motors%20with%20102kW%20battery%20pack%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E570hp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20890Nm%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%20428km%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C700%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
FIGHT CARD

Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31

Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)

Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)

Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)

Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)

Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)

Catchweight 80kg​​​​​​​
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)

Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)

Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)

Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)

Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)

Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)

Anxiety and work stress major factors

Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.

A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.

Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.

One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.

It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."

Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.

“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi. 

“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."

Daniel Bardsley

Company%20profile
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57%20Seconds
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Where to buy

Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com

THE BIO:

Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.

Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.

Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.

Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.

Where%20the%20Crawdads%20Sing
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOlivia%20Newman%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Daisy%20Edgar-Jones%2C%20Taylor%20John%20Smith%2C%20Harris%20Dickinson%2C%20David%20Strathairn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Company Profile 

Founder: Omar Onsi

Launched: 2018

Employees: 35

Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)

Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners

How to turn your property into a holiday home
  1. Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
  2. Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
  3. Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
  4. Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
  5. Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

Rating: 3/5

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