‘Please send Nadal into retirement’

• Franklin Stoker

  tennis editor

If it were up to Tallon Greek Spoor, he would send Rafael Nadal into tennis retirement next Tuesday at the Davis Cup. But the leader of the Dutch team has more on his mind in the run-up to the meeting with Spain, such as the recent break with his coach Kristof Vliegen.

“That choice made a difference,” says Greekpoor, who has just returned from a week off. “I had to take the time to sort it all out, so I’m glad I could take a break.”

It is not surprising that the best tennis player in the Netherlands had to give way to the discontinued collaboration, a joint choice made after the masters tournament in Paris. Greekpoor (28) and Vliegen have known each other for more than ten years and have an intense bond, sometimes too intense.

It sometimes happened that Vliegen no longer tolerated an outburst of anger from Greek Spoor on the tennis court, after which the Belgian coach left the stands. Things always crackled for a while afterwards, but irritations were always talked out. But in the past period things started to clash more often between the two.

“We had felt for a number of months that things were not going as they should,” Greekpoor explains. “We sat down with the team after the US Open (in September, ed.) to discuss that we would do things differently, for example in communication. That did not happen.”

Greekpoor came to the realization in October that he was feeling quite good even without Vliegen, who was absent due to private circumstances.

“I played my best two tournaments of the year. Not only in terms of tennis, but my overall feeling was just good. Then you think about it and draw your conclusion. At some point you have to dare to close a door and open a new one. open it.”

Greek Spoor does not yet know which door that will be. The current number 40 in the world is exploring his options together with his Swedish management.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone yet, but I don’t need to yet,” he says. “The break with Kristof is still fresh. I am not yet prepared to listen to a new voice, so it is good to take the time for this.”

Greekpoor has brought out the best in itself over the past two years under Vliegen’s leadership. He won his only two ATP titles to date in 2023 (in Pune and Rosmalen), reached 21st place in the world rankings in the same year and repeatedly showed that he can make things difficult for many world top players.

But a real hit, such as beating a world top player like Jannik Sinner or Alexander Zverev, is something that Greekpoor is still waiting for.

In August during the US Open, Vliegen spoke to the NOS about the future of Greek Spoor:

Greekpoor’s preference now lies with a foreign coach who should push him to an even higher level. “There is currently no coach in the Netherlands that I think: I want to work with that now.”

“I also don’t feel the urgency to have a new coach within a month, even though the new tennis season in Australia is just around the corner. I still have my physio and I’m taking my brother on a trip, so I have enough people around me.”

Now Greek Spoor wants to enjoy the moment, starting with the Davis Cup in Málaga. He finds it very special to experience Nadal’s upcoming farewell up close.

“I used to wear his clothes and was a big fan. It will be a very special day for everyone who will be there, including Botic (Van de Zandschulp, ed.) and me. It will be impressive. We also have to really enjoy it.”

It is not yet clear in what capacity Nadal will say goodbye next week in Málaga, which is currently affected by severe weather.

Images appear on social media of the 22-time Grand Slam champion training like crazy, but is that enough to become match fit? A difficult choice for Spain and Nadal himself, given the sporting interests at stake.

Despite the special nature of the meeting, Greek Spoor realizes that he wants to reach the semi-finals with the Netherlands at the expense of Spain. “I would like to send Nadal into retirement.”