Toni Nadal reveals the only time Rafael did something wrong to him
In a recent interview, Toni Nadal revealed the only thing that Rafael did wrong to him in terms of a human point of view. Explaining the keys of his success with the 32-year-old during their working relationship that finished at the end of 2017, Toni said: "I have got a very good player. Second, I was Rafael's uncle. Third, I was the cheapest coach and so that's why Rafael kept the same coach for so many years. I was lucky, for me coaching him was easy. I worked with a normal person, not a star. Rafael was probably the easiest player to work with. He only made once something wrong for me. It was in Madrid, in 2015, he was playing not too good and in one match against (Philipp) Kohlschreiber, I told him: "Rafael, take now". Because it was very important, he won the first set and I knew that at the time his game was not too good. He was like: "Don't tell me this". I said: "Nothing more". For me it was enough. Then when we met each other in the locker room he told me: "I said that because I was nervous, sorry. You had said too much". But that was the only time. When you go to tournaments, you see many players doing it."
Toni also spoke about the 17-time Major winner's origins: "When Rafael was seven or eight years old, I thought he could be a very good player. He was coming from a small village, small club - three courts - and he still became good. Sometimes we did not have balls, hitting partners or other things. Everyone has to know that it's not easy to be a professional, but never impossible."
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2TqlfyS
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