Toni Nadal, who helped his nephew win 16 of his 21 Grand Slam titles, was asked to give his thoughts on the importance of a healthy upbringing. In his response, the star coach illustrated a comparison between Novak Djokovic and Nadal’s formative years, claiming that the Serb had put together a stellar career despite his family not having the same resources for their son’s development as the Nadal family did.
He also mentioned his brother Miguel Angel, who was a first-team player for F.C. Barcelona in the 90s, to further point out just how affluent the Spanish bull’s family was.
Uncle Toni was also asked during the interview whether he felt his nephew was a genius, to which he replied in the negative. The Spaniard instead asserted that it was Nadal’s rival Roger Federer who had transcended the sport with his talent, before adding that his nephew’s legacy was adapting himself to new challenges over the years.
The coach then opined that the 21-time Major winner had reached his peak back in 2008-09. He added that the Spanish bull has focussed more on playing all-round tennis in his later years, as his signature style of play regressed in quality due to age and injuries.
“The first specialist told us that Rafael would hardly do well in high-level sports” - Toni Nadal
Uncle Toni then disclosed how Nadal’s camp had learned back in 2005 that he was suffering from a rare condition called Kohler’s Disease, a congenital disorder in which the navicular bone of the foot does not fully develop.
The Spaniard maintained that his nephew’s foot issues had first flared up in 2004, and that he continued playing competitive tennis despite various medical specialists advising against it.
Towards the end of the interview, Toni was also asked to give his thoughts on 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz - who showed maturity beyond his years during his title-winning run in Rio last week. The coach went on to tip the teen phenom to become World No. 1 in the future, before adding that Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev were two players who were likely to offer the Spaniard some resistance.
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