Rafael Nadal?s Former Coach and Uncle Rues Nephew?s Unrealized Wimbledon Potential Owing to a Career Changing Injury

Rafael Nadal‘s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal is the director of the Mallorca Championships, a tournament on grass before Wimbledon. A man known for his immense tennis knowledge and straightforward nature, had some interesting observations to make on his nephew Rafael Nadal when speaking to the ATPtour. Rafael Nadal has clearly been Spain’s most successful grasscourt player, despite not possessing the tailor-made playing style for it. And Toni Nadal says that if not for Rafael Nadal’s knee injury which kept him from playing to his fullest potential, he could have achieved even more on the surface.

Toni Nadal, who knows the in and out of Rafael Nadal, showered praise on him by saying that he was a ‘great’ grasscourt player. Though Toni Nadal called Feliciano Lopez technically more sound than Nadal on grass, he without a doubt admitted that Nadal is the most successful of the Spaniards.

Toni Nadal’s take on how Rafael Nadal adapted so well on grass

Nadal reached the finals of Wimbledon 5 consecutive times from 2006 to 2011 except in 2009 when he was absent due to injury. He won there 2 times in 2008 and in 2010. When asked about how he adapted so well on the surface, despite not having the proper ingredients in his repertoire on grass like a lack of a powerful serve on grass, Toni Nadal responded by saying that, his movement enabled him to emerge victorious there. His good mobility and a good enough volley and his speed ensured that he thrived on grass as well. He also said that Rafael Nadal would have won more grasscourt titles had it not been for his knee injury.

He said,” Rafael adapted well because, despite not having a big serve, he had very good movement around the court, good mobility, his volley was good enough and his speed allowed him to play very well at Wimbledon. I think if he hadn?t had the knee injury that made it difficult to play on that surface, he would have won there more times.”?

It is a well-known fact that Nadal’s career was marred by injuries and like Toni Nadal said, who knows how much he could have won if it hadn’t been for them? But anyway, Nadal has only him to blame because of his very physical playing style.

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Feliciano Lopez, not Nadal is the clearest exponent of grass tennis in terms of Spaniards

According to Toni Nadal, Feliciano Lopez has the perfect grass court technique more than Rafael Nadal in terms of Spaniards, though Nadal has been the most successful. He said that, in grass, a powerful serve is important and Lopez has that with a lot of spin. He also flatly slices the ball very well and has got a good volley.

This unequivocal nature of Rafael Nadal?s Former Coach and Uncle Toni Nadal is always a breath of fresh air as he doesn’t side with Rafael Nadal despite him being his nephew but offers his frank opinions on tennis.

Fitness and longevity are two main things for a sportsperson, but unfortunately, for Nadal, due to his physical playing style, he has inflicted more pain on his own body and especially his knee or otherwise as Toni Nadal rightly said, he could have accumulated more titles on grass.

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