Rafael Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal has backed his nephew to end the year as the best player in the world.
Rafa, who will begin the defense of his Madrid Masters crown on Wednesday is on a twelve match-winning streak and is the overwhelming favorite to win a record sixth title in the Spanish capital.
The 31-year-old southpaw, who lost his No. 1 ranking to Roger Federer earlier in February for a brief period has to win in Madrid this week and subsequently, he will have to defend his Roland Garros title to stay on top of the world rankings. Toni, who coached Rafa until 2016, is confident that the 16-time Grand Slam champion will be able to hold on to the year-end top spot in the official ATP rankings.
“Nadal can retain the number one ranking at the end of the year,” Toni Nadal said.
“He has shown it when he has been able and has shown to have a great level.
“In Australia Nadal arrived without hardly playing and performed at a good level until he was injured.
“To defend the number one in 2018 you have to measure other players who are there like Federer, [Alexander] Zverev, [Novak] Djokovic.
“Today I see Rafael holding the number one.”
After winning the Barcelona Open, when Nadal was asked about the possibility of finishing the year as the World No. 1, he replied in the negative.
“I have ‘given away’ (through injuries) three months of the year,” he said.
“Not playing for three months and finishing number one in the world would say that it is not impossible but it is very unlikely.
“But it was never my goal.
“My goal is to be happy doing what I do and that, after so many years, it always has been to win more titles and I have achieved that.
“I am happy when I am healthy and when I feel qualified to compete well, my goal is to feel competitive every week I play.”
