Rafael Nadal‘s uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal, has shared his latest thoughts on the Spanish tennis star who is set to be back on the court at the Mutua Madrid Open soon after battling with injury.
Nadal‘s presence is a major boost for the tournament given his recent physical problems, but the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are the favorites to win.
“Let’s see if he can play three matches at the Mutua Madrid Open… and at Roland Garros, if possible, he can play seven and not lose the final. I hope that the process of readjustment to the competition continues and that he doesn’t have any problems. I know Rafa needs to play, because arriving at Roland Garros without enough matches is very dangerous, even more so now, when he is no longer seeded and you can play an Alcaraz or a Sinner in the first round”, said Toni about Nadal, who has just played two matches at the Godo.
In a chat with Alex Corretja and Manu Carreno of Cadena SER, he said that: “Rafa can win Roland Garros if he gets his body to respond well and has an affordable draw in the early days.
“But I know and understand that Rafael has to be careful because he knows that the options at Roland are small, but right now he has them. What he can not have is a physical setback between now and June,” he said.
Toni Nadal: Let’s give a vote of confidence again to Rafa
“When Rafael played the last Australian Open I spoke to him. He called me at home, he had played two or three matches, I think. When I hung up I said to my children ‘it’s impossible for him to beat any good player… he has no chance’,” Toni said.
“These were my words to my three children and my wife. The reality is that from the quarter-finals onwards things changed. In the final he had a chance to win (he beat Daniil Medvedev in five sets). Obviously, it’s been two years, but it’s more difficult. But let’s give him a vote of confidence again.”