Sometimes I miss being Rafael Nadal's coach, says Uncle Toni
In an interview to a Bulgarian TV the Rafael Nadal's uncle and former coach, Toni, recalled his good old days when he travelled around the world coaching his nephew. 'Sometimes I miss my time as a coach', said Toni. 'I had the opportunity to coach one of the best players, who is my nephew. We had many successes together and time I spent on court with Rafa was very special.'
But for Toni, life is much different now than the past: 'Now I am at the academy and I love to coach kids. And I am very motivated in this. As a Rafa's coach, I didn't think of this as a job. It was important to improve, and a pleasure for me.'
Now that he is not a Nadal's coach anymore, when watching Rafa's matches, Toni feels not nervous as when he was a coach. 'It was very stressful before and I even sometimes switched off the TV or turn my back to the TV in order not to watch.'
Toni also praised Rafa's game and fighting spirit: 'I always knew he has a talent and that he is good. Otherwise, there would be no successes if I don't believe in him. He has a very valuable quality: the desire to develop. Other players can repeat a stroke 2-3 times, and seeing it doesn't happen - give up. He (Rafa) can repeat it 30 to 300 times to do it. So, it's not just a talent. Ðœany people have talent but desire and patience to improve and to become better - not all of them have it. And of course - a very strong character. Even when he loses, he is strong, does not fall mentally I taught him (Rafa) to be strong and to fight and win not only in the matches but in life too.'
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from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2RZ6eDw
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