Toni Nadal, Auger-Aliassime team up
Print Edition
Toni Nadal, the man who masterminded nephew Rafael鈥檚 incredible career, is returning to the Tour as part of the coaching team of Canadian youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Nadal, 60, decided to step down as Rafa鈥檚 coach in 2017 and concentrate on running the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca.
But he has been tempted back by the chance to work with the 20-year-old and will be in his camp for next week鈥檚 Monte Carlo Masters 鈥 the tournament at which Nadal made his big breakthrough in 2005 before claiming the first of his 13 French Open titles a few weeks later.
Auger-Aliassime, the world No. 22, confirmed that Toni Nadal was joining his team in a Zoom call yesterday.
鈥淚 will be working with Toni starting from this tournament,鈥 Auger-Aliassime, who is coached by Frederic Fontang, said. 鈥淚 sat down with Fred and my team and parents and I thought to myself it would be good to go to someone who has been at the highest level of our sport, who has been to where I want to go.
鈥淩eally it鈥檚 gaining advice and experience and just working on a day to day to become a better player. I know there鈥檚 no secret tool or recipe or that you just click your fingers and things work out.鈥
Touted as a potential Grand Slam champion, Auger-Aliassime is yet to enjoy a breakthrough moment and has lost all seven ATP finals he has contested.
He first approached Toni Nadal in Mallorca in December after going there to train. 鈥淥ur values and work ethic really align so for me that鈥檚 a great thing personally and I鈥檓 glad he鈥檚 part of my project and hopefully we can do great things in the future,鈥 he said.
For Toni Nadal it is an unexpected change of path after opting to step aside as a coach on Tour in 2017.
鈥淚 never considered before to work for someone else,鈥 he said. 鈥淔or me it鈥檚 a wonderful thing to work with a guy like Felix, first a very educated player, a player that can become one of the best players in the world and become a champion in big tournaments.鈥
Nadal stressed that should Auger-Aliassime play his nephew in the coming months he would not be in either box.
鈥淚f (Rafa) has to lose to someone then I would rather him lose to Felix,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 still his uncle and have many years of involvement with him.
鈥淚 hope Felix will be No. 1 in the future. For now he needs to keep improving and I keep being Rafa鈥檚 uncle.鈥
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
