Murray Credits Teenage Nadal Conversation for Barcelona Move at 15
The short version
- Murray moved to Barcelona at 15 and trained in Spain for two years after comparing routines with Nadal at junior events
- Nadal described school mornings plus two to three hours of daily training with Carlos Moya; Murray trained one hour, three times a week, with his mother
- Murray and Nadal played a team exhibition at Nadal's Mallorca academy; Team Rafa beat Team Murray 4-3
- Nadal retired after the 2024 Davis Cup Finals with 22 majors; Murray retired earlier in 2024 after a Paris Olympics doubles loss
The former world No. 1 says comparing weekly practice routines as juniors showed him he had to overhaul his training, leading to two years in Spain.
Andy Murray says a junior-era conversation with Rafael Nadal changed the course of his development and helped send him to Spain as a 15-year-old. Speaking to media at a team exhibition hosted at Nadal's academy in Mallorca, the three-time major champion and former world No. 1 reflected on his early years in the sport and the moment he realized his preparation was not enough.
Murray recalled asking Nadal to describe a normal week. The young Spaniard's answer covered school each morning followed by two or three hours of training, including hits with Carlos Moya. When Nadal turned the question around, Murray could only answer: "I train for an hour, three times a week, with my mother." Murray said, "That's when I understood that I had to change something."
The two had known each other since they were very young, Murray said, and Nadal stood out from the first junior events Murray watched him play. Even at 13 or 14, Murray noticed a difference in how Nadal played, along with his attitude, concentration and maturity.
The comparison had consequences. Murray relocated to Barcelona after talking with Nadal at those tournaments and spent two years training in Spain, a move he said was partly thanks to his rival.
The exhibition that prompted the memories brought together two members of the group known as the 'Big Four', an era Murray and Nadal shared with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Murray's team featured Marat Safin, Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini. Nadal's side included fellow Spaniards Carlos Moya and David Ferrer, plus France's Richard Gasquet, and Team Rafa won the contest 4-3.
Both champions have now stepped away from the tour. Nadal's farewell came at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, his final competitive event after a career that yielded 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 at Roland Garros.
Murray was among the high-profile figures who sent Nadal a farewell message for the occasion. In it, he joked that Nadal, widely admired for never throwing his racket in anger, was not so composed with video games. Murray said he saw Nadal throw PlayStation controllers in hotels worldwide whenever he and friend Juan Monaco lost a late goal to Murray while playing as Real Madrid in Pro Evolution Soccer.
Murray had retired a few months earlier in 2024. His last competitive match came at the Paris Olympics, a men's doubles quarterfinal loss playing with Dan Evans.
Away from tennis, Barcelona hosts Real Madrid on Sunday, October 4. Kickoff at Spotify Camp Nou is set for 1:00 PM EDT.
