French Open: After Thrashing Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime Breaks Silence on Abrupt Split With Rafael Nadal’s Uncle Toni

Felix Auger Alissime is making his way clear, both in terms of his on-court performance and off-court controversies. The Canadian recently secured a spot in the fourth round at Roland Garros by securing a massive win over Ben Shelton. While a controversy with his former coach Toni Nadal kept hanging behind his back, the ATP star decided to drop a response to end it on a good note.

In a recent interview, Felix Auger Aliassime came forward to share his thoughts on a controversial topic. While his split with Rafael Nadal‘s uncle was stacked as another mystery, he recently decided to shed light on it. “I have a lot of respect for Toni and we have a good relationship,” he said, regarding the renowned coach with honor.

Submitting a justification for splitting with his former coach, Aliassime said, “A while ago I decided that I wanted to have a smaller team, with my lifelong coach, my physical trainer and my father.” Felix Auger Aliassime shared a notable period of his sporting journey with Toni Nadal. After joining hands with him back in 2021, the Canadian secured several titles, like the one in Rotterdam, Basel, and many others.

Accepting the fact that the legendary coach induced valuable techniques in his game, the 23-year-old added, “I have learned a lot from Toni in relation to the philosophy he has applied to tennis and his experiences with Rafa. I really liked his approach that you have to push yourself every day, be humble, assume responsibilities in difficult times.”

Felix Auger Aliassime is proving to be quite dominant in his run for the title in Paris. While his next showdown is scheduled to be against last year’s semi-finalist, Carlos Alcaraz, his fate in the tournament is yet to be determined.

Felix Auger Aliassime’s sheer understanding of Toni and his connection with Rafael Nadal

Toni Nadal found it hard to choose a side as Felix Auger Aliassime was matched with Rafael Nadal back at the Roland Garros 2022. As fans demanded answers about what the Canadian thinks of this complicated situation, he remained grounded and therefore mentioned how it is normal and he takes it positively.

“From the first time we started working together we knew it was a possibility that eventually I would play Rafa when I’m working with Toni,” the 23-year-old said in an interview back in 2022. Along with that, he also mentioned the fact that he acknowledges his coach’s past chemistry with Rafael Nadal, saying, “I don’t know how Toni feels…But I think also you have to remember…for me Rafa’s career and what he did with Toni is much bigger than the match tomorrow.”

The controversy over the Canadian’s split with Toni Nadal kept hanging for a long time. As the ATP star decided to clear the air with a neutral statement, it shows how just a small clarification can ease things down.