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Paris - Carlos Moya has told Rafael Nadal to ignore all talk of a 10th French Open title, but admitted that the magical double-digit is causing pressure for his fellow Spaniard.
Moya, the 1998 Roland Garros champion and also a former world number one, is part of Nadal's coaching team in Paris and is keen to keep expectations in check.
"Clearly there is a bit of pressure. We don't pay much attention to making it number ten," 40-year-old Moya told AFP.
"We take it into account but we try to ignore it. We try to coexist as best as possible with the pressure."
Moya works alongside Nadal's longtime coach, his uncle Toni, as well as Francesco Roig.
When Toni steps down from the team at the end of the year, Moya will take overall control of his fellow Mallorcan.
Moya and Nadal have been close friends for many years and he knows the powers that the nine-time Roland Garros champion possesess having got a close look in Paris 10 years ago.
Nadal beat him in the quarter-finals in what proved to be Moya's last match on the Philippe Chatrier court.
"I remember the beating that I had, he was playing very well and I was playing well too, but his level was very high," recalled Moya.
"I was out of my reach and it was my last match in Philippe Chatrier."
In training, Moya says they have been working on perfecting Nadal's second serve to back up the player's fierce ground strokes off both wings.
"We have been working quite a bit on the second service, trying to be more aggressive. This is the tennis part that we have worked on most," said Moya.
Nadal, who won the last of his 14 majors at the 2014 French Open, is the overwhelming favourite for a 10th Roland Garros this year.
Moya believes he is certainly in the form to achieve the goal having won titles on clay in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid already this year.
"For me, the preparation has been ideal, he has trained well and is physically healthy.
"Victories are needed, no one assures you of playing well, but you have to be able to know that you can do it."
Moya also believes that Novak Djokovic, the defending champion in Paris, made s smart move in bringing in Andre Agassi as his coach, albeit for just the first week in Paris.
"I think he can help. Agassi solved difficult situations on the court when he was a player," said Moya.
"Djokovic hopes that he will help him solve his difficult situations and be able to return to his best level.
"I figured he was going to take on a powerful name but I do not know what relationship they're going to have. Agassi will not be in Paris in the second week.
"Let's see if he gets Agassi on the circuit bit by bit."
French Open results on Tuesday, the third day of the 2017 tournament at Roland Garros (x denotes seeding):
Men
First round
Andy Murray (GBR x1) bt Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0
Martin Klizan (SVK) bt Laurent Lokoli (FRA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 4-6, 0-6, 6-4
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1)
Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x29) bt Guido Pella (ARG) 6-2, 6-1, 6-4
John Isner (USA x21) bt Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3
Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-0, 6-2, 6-4
Karen Khachanov (RUS) bt Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1
Tomas Berdych (CZE x13) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-1, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Alexander Zverev (GER x9) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Hyeon Chung (KOR) bt Sam Querrey (USA x27) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Denis Istomin (UZB) bt Ernesto Escobedo (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-4
Jermy Chardy (FRA) bt Radu Albot (MDA) 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3)
Kei Nishikori (JPN x8) bt Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
Stan Wawrinka (SUI x3) bt Jozef Kovalik (SVK) 6-2, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3
Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) bt Carlos Berlocq (ARG) 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
Gael Monfils (FRA x15) bt Dustin Brown (GER) 6-4, 7-5, 6-0
Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Gastao Elias (POR) 6-3, 6-2, 7-5
Kevin Anderson (RSA) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)
Nick Kyrgios (AUS x18) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3
Women
First round
Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 6-4, 6-3
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) bt Mona Barthel (GER) 6-0, 6-4
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x17) bt Annika Beck (GER) 6-2, 6-4
Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) bt Risa Ozaki (JPN) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Petra Martic (CRO) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 6-2, 7-5
Madison Keys (USA x12) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6-3, 6-2
Sorana Cirstea (ROM) bt Peng Shuai (CHN) 6-3, 6-1
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x21) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE) 6-4, 6-2
Darya Kasatkina (RUS) bt Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 7-5, 6-4
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) bt Amandine Hesse (FRA) 6-1, 6-0
Tatjana Malek (GER) bt Duan Ying-Ying (CHN) 6-4, 6-1
Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Jana Cepelova (SVK) 6-2, 6-3
Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) bt Johanna Konta (GBR x7) 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
Taylor Townsend (USA) bt Miyu Kato (JPN) 6-4, 6-0
Chloe Paquet (FRA) bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-2
Caroline Garcia (FRA x28) bt Nao Hibino (JPN) 6-2, 6-2
Barbora Strycova (CZE x20) bt Alison Riske (USA) 6-3, 6-0
Alize Cornet (FRA) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2
Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) bt Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6-3, 7-5
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x9) bt Fiona Ferro (FRA) 6-1, 6-1
