Toni Nadal, the coach of his nephew Rafael Nadal, has shed some light on Rafa’s injury problems, as well as giving his thoughts on the shocks that littered the first Grand Slam of the year.
Toni was keen to assert that Rafa’s troubles have largely stemmed from injury issues the last few years, and that those injuries had had a destabilising physical and mental impact on his ability to perform at his highest level.
“He could not give his best on court, could not have the best attitude and so you lose confidence,’ ‘He suffered wrist, foot and knee issues. But since he could play tennis injury-free, he was at a good level again. In Australia he played a good tournament, had a positive attitude and was close to his best level mentally and physically.” Toni speaking to L’Equipe.
Toni also refused to suggest that Rafa’s chances of winning major titles again are any stronger than the world’s top two players Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, despite their shock early loses to Mischa Zverev and Denis Istomin at the Australian Open. “‘It was only a tournament, we need to wait to see what happens. For me, Djokovic and Murray continue to be the favourites to win the next big titles.”.
