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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – APRIL 13: Rafael Nadal of Spain in a practice session as uncle and coach Toni Nadal watches on during day two of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters tennis at the Monte-Carlo Sporting Club on April 13, 2015 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – APRIL 13: Rafael Nadal of Spain in a practice session as uncle and coach Toni Nadal watches on during day two of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters tennis at the Monte-Carlo Sporting Club on April 13, 2015 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
In April 2021, Toni Nadal joined Felix Auger-Aliassime’s coaching team. Nadal’s rise to prominence as a coach in the tennis world was a result of him coaching his nephew and arguably one of the best players the sport has seen, Rafael Nadal In a recent interview with the YouTube channel Talking Tennis, Toni Nadal spoke about how coaching the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime is different to how it was coaching his nephew.
Toni Nadal also looked back at the 2022 French Open in the interview. In 2022, the ‘King of Clay’ overcame Auger-Aliassime in a hard-fought contest. However, later in the year, the Canadian star exacted his revenge in the ATP Finals.
Felix winning against Rafael Nadal was not Toni’s decision
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In the interview, Toni Nadal opened up on what he said to Felix Auger-Aliassime when the Canadian approached him for a collaboration.
“The first thing that I said was I can collaborate but if you play against Rafael, I can’t decide you will win.”
Toni went on to say that coaching Nadal and Auger-Aliassime has been two drastically different experiences for him. “If I am only his coach and I am always with him, maybe it can be different, but I make a collaboration.”
via Reuters
Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – May 29, 2022 Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and Spain’s Rafael Nadal shake hands after their fourth round match REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
He also mentioned how he could predict if Rafael Nadal could or couldn’t win when he was his nephew’s coach. “It’s not the same when Rafael can win and Rafael cannot win the tournament.”
Read More: Toni Nadal Reveals His Choice If Rafael Nadal Plays Felix Auger-Aliassime
Auger-Aliassime and Nadal’s 2022 French Open Showdown
Toni Nadal’s nephew’s match against Auger-Alliassime in the 2022 French Open was a treat for tennis fans. Roland Garros is, after all, Nadal’s stomping ground. However, Auger-Alliassime proved that he was no pushover. Ultimately, though, he had to settle for a loss as Rafael Nadal defeated him 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. The King of Clay eventually went on to win his 14th French Open crown.
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Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – June 5, 2022 Spain’s Rafael Nadal bites the trophy to celebrate after winning the men’s singles final against Norway’s Casper Ruud REUTERS/Benoit Tessier TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
In the interview, Toni Nadal revealed his mixed emotions ahead of Auger-Alliassime and his nephew’s recent ATP Finals meeting. On one hand, he was supporting Auger-Alliassime during the November 2022 clash as he was the Canadian’s coach. However, on the other, he didn’t want Nadal to lose either due to their long and glorious association. Ultimately, it was Auger-Alliassime who got the better of his nephew.
“If Felix wins, perfect. If the victory goes to Rafael, it was good too”. This just about sums up how Toni Nadal feels whenever his nephew meets his current protégé Auger-Aliassime. Who could blame him?
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