"Don't cry now, there’s no point": Uncle Toni’s advice to Rafa Nadal as a kid

Recently retired Rafael Nadal recalled an anecdote with his uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal, from when he was training as a child. ‘Uncle Toni’ was Rafa’s coach for most of his career, guiding him through 17 of his 22 Grand Slam titles, 36 Masters 1000 titles, and the Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing in 2008.

The Spaniard worked with his uncle from the very beginning of his tennis career until 2017, playing a crucial role in shaping his success. Rafa Nadal, who retired a few weeks ago after Spain’s elimination in the Davis Cup Finals, shared a lesson from his uncle when he was just 12 years old in a letter to The Players’ Tribune.

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The sports outlet provides athletes with the space to speak candidly about their careers. This time, Nadal took center stage, recalling his early tennis days and an unforgettable lesson from his Uncle Toni. “When I was young, I learned a lesson that still sticks in my mind. I am not sure exactly how old I was, but I think I was around 12,” he stated.

“During that age, I loved to go fishing. I love the sea, because I am from Mallorca, and in my case, the sea is part of my life. It’s about the feeling of being by the sea, sitting on the rocks with your family and friends, or out on a boat — the disconnection and peace you feel is something special. One day, I went out fishing when I could have been training.”

Rafa Nadal played his last match at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.

“The next day, I lost my match. I remember I was crying in the car on the way back home, and my uncle, who at that young age had a big influence on me, and who was the one who made me fall in love with tennis, he said: ‘It’s OK, it’s just a tennis match. Don’t cry now, there is no point. If you want to fish, you can fish. No problem. But you will lose. If you want to win? If you want to win, then you have to do what you have to do first.’”

“It was a very important lesson for me. If people see me as a perfectionist, then it comes from that inner voice that was calling to me on the car ride home. The voice has never left me. One day, I can be at the sea. Today, and tomorrow... I have to practice.”

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Nadal played his last official match a month ago, losing to Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-4, 6-4, marking Spain’s elimination from the Davis Cup finals in the quarterfinals. The former World No. 1 concluded his career as the second-most Grand Slam titles holder and one of the most prominent players in tennis history.