Toni Nadal has expressed his confidence in Rafael Nadal by stating that he still believes his nephew will emerge as the champion of the French Open this year despite his struggles with injuries.
The renowned coach also revealed that Nadal had described participating in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as “the most remarkable experience of his life.”
Nadal has achieved unparalleled dominance at the French Open, clinching the clay-court Grand Slam an astonishing 14 times from 2005 to 2022. The player from Mallorca boasts an extraordinary record of 112-3 (97%) at Roland Garros.
Last year, the former world No 1 missed the French Open for the first time since 2004 as he had to delay his planned return from injury during the clay-court season.
After almost a year-long hiatus, the 37-year-old made his comeback at the Brisbane International last month, reaching the quarter-finals. However, Nadal withdrew from the 2024 Australian Open due to a hip muscle problem that arose during his defeat to Jordan Thompson in Brisbane.
Before Brisbane, Nadal had not played a singles match since his loss to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open, where he sustained a hip injury. In June 2023, he underwent arthroscopic surgery to address the psoas muscle in his hip.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion was scheduled to return at the ATP 250 tournament in Doha next week, but he announced his withdrawal on Wednesday.
“I would have been delighted to compete in Doha, where the tournament organizers, as well as the incredible fans of Qatar, have consistently shown me tremendous support,” Nadal stated in a social media post.
“Unfortunately, I am not yet prepared to compete, and thus I will be unable to attend Doha, where I genuinely desired to play again after that unforgettable victory in 2014. Instead, I will concentrate on continuing to work towards being ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the extraordinary Indian Wells tournament.”
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In a recent speech at the Rafa Nadal School of Sport, located at the Alfonso X el Sabio University, Toni Nadal, the well-known coach, discussed his nephew’s comeback and made a confident prediction. According to him, he firmly believes that Rafael will participate in this year’s Roland Garros and emerge victorious.
Additionally, the coach also shared his thoughts on Nadal’s potential participation in the upcoming Paris Games. Despite having other significant tournaments such as Wimbledon in the world of tennis, Nadal considers the Games to be a unique and special event for any athlete due to tradition and personal desire. Nadal himself expressed that the Beijing Games were his most memorable experience, attributing his victory to the support of his fellow Spanish athletes and the incredible atmosphere.
Expressing his optimism, the 62-year-old coach expressed his hope that Nadal would secure a medal at the Olympics. In a lighthearted manner, he even jokingly mentioned that his wish for Djokovic to sustain an injury, as it would increase Nadal’s chances of success.
Toni Nadal, who served as Nadal’s coach from his early years until 2017, played a crucial role in his nephew’s success, helping him secure an impressive 16 out of his 22 Grand Slam titles. Presently, the 62-year-old holds the position of director at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca and has been collaborating with ATP star Felix Auger-Aliassime since 2021.
According to the Source tennis365.com