Spoiler:
After 11 years without any change in his team, it´s revolution time for Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard player, who added Carlos Moya in his team two months ago, won´t work with his uncle Toni anymore. It was Toni himself to reveal it in an exclusive interview to Il Tennis Italiano. ´By next year I won´t follow Rafael on the Tour anymore, but I will work only in our academy. I want to take care of the formation of young talents, which is the most important moment in a tennis player´s growth. The relationship with my nephew has always been good, over all these years we never had any to argue about. But until he was 17 I decided everything, then the agent Carlos Costa came, his father got closer and everybody had his own opinion. And the truth is that every year I decide even less, until the point that I won´t decide anything anymore! I travelled with Rafa for many years, now I want to deal with the training of the young people and our academy is the ideal place.´
Toni also added that Francisco Roig and Moya should remain in his team, 'unless Rafa will add some other.'
Interviewed by L'Equipe to Toni spoke about the Australian Open final lost to Roger Federer 6/3 in the fifth set. Toni was aware it wouldn't have been an easy match since the beginning of the tournament. 'When I watched his matches against Berdych, Nishikori, and Wawrinka, I told myself countering him would be very complicated. And really, he went at us very quickly and resisting his game was difficult. It's also true that his backhand was incredible at the end of the tournament. I see two reasons for that. Fist of all, Federer experienced a very inspiring week: he missed a lot less than normal, and he stuck firmly to his decision to hit the ball flatter. And then, I don't know if the surface was as fast as many have said, but playing at night favoured Federer, because the ball doesn't bounce as high and it was easier for him to anticipate. Extreme top spin just wasn't possible. But in any case, on the whole, his level was very high.'
And what about Rafael Nadal's level? 'Rafael recovered his game. He had a good tournament, he had a good attitude, and played matches that were not bad against Dimitrov, Monfils and Raonic. I think really Rafael was very close to his top level, both mentally and game-wise.'
Was it the best Nadal we've seen in the last three seasons? 'It doesn't seem so simple to me. Don't forget, Rafael went into Roland Garros last year feeling excellent. There was just this little niggle [left wrist] that was bothering us, and which forced us to withdraw after two rounds and then ruined the end of the season.'
How does he explain that he's rediscovered his best tennis at the beginning of this season? 'For the first time in a very, very long while, Rafael has no physical worries to manage. As soon as we started preparing for the 2017 season, in November in Manacor, his feelings hitting were very good. Peace of mind counts for so much!
Toni added: 'Rafael has been stressed for several years because of his physical problems. At some point, you can't deliver with everything you have on the court, you can't have the ideal attitude in training, you lose self-confidence too much. When your shots depend on the state of your hand, your knee, your foot, at some point having to manage all those pains tires you out. They sap your strength. It's the head above all. It determines everything, it allows you to develop your game. If it's not ticking properly up there, everything becomes very difficult. And suddenly, as soon as Rafael could play without pain, he quickly recovered a good level. And what's more, we were reinforced by the addition of Carlos Moya, who also was a real plus.'
Toni also added that Francisco Roig and Moya should remain in his team, 'unless Rafa will add some other.'
Interviewed by L'Equipe to Toni spoke about the Australian Open final lost to Roger Federer 6/3 in the fifth set. Toni was aware it wouldn't have been an easy match since the beginning of the tournament. 'When I watched his matches against Berdych, Nishikori, and Wawrinka, I told myself countering him would be very complicated. And really, he went at us very quickly and resisting his game was difficult. It's also true that his backhand was incredible at the end of the tournament. I see two reasons for that. Fist of all, Federer experienced a very inspiring week: he missed a lot less than normal, and he stuck firmly to his decision to hit the ball flatter. And then, I don't know if the surface was as fast as many have said, but playing at night favoured Federer, because the ball doesn't bounce as high and it was easier for him to anticipate. Extreme top spin just wasn't possible. But in any case, on the whole, his level was very high.'
And what about Rafael Nadal's level? 'Rafael recovered his game. He had a good tournament, he had a good attitude, and played matches that were not bad against Dimitrov, Monfils and Raonic. I think really Rafael was very close to his top level, both mentally and game-wise.'
Was it the best Nadal we've seen in the last three seasons? 'It doesn't seem so simple to me. Don't forget, Rafael went into Roland Garros last year feeling excellent. There was just this little niggle [left wrist] that was bothering us, and which forced us to withdraw after two rounds and then ruined the end of the season.'
How does he explain that he's rediscovered his best tennis at the beginning of this season? 'For the first time in a very, very long while, Rafael has no physical worries to manage. As soon as we started preparing for the 2017 season, in November in Manacor, his feelings hitting were very good. Peace of mind counts for so much!
Toni added: 'Rafael has been stressed for several years because of his physical problems. At some point, you can't deliver with everything you have on the court, you can't have the ideal attitude in training, you lose self-confidence too much. When your shots depend on the state of your hand, your knee, your foot, at some point having to manage all those pains tires you out. They sap your strength. It's the head above all. It determines everything, it allows you to develop your game. If it's not ticking properly up there, everything becomes very difficult. And suddenly, as soon as Rafael could play without pain, he quickly recovered a good level. And what's more, we were reinforced by the addition of Carlos Moya, who also was a real plus.'
