Considered to be a future superstar on the ATP Tour, #NextGen member
Felix Auger-Aliassime made some changes to his coaching staff this clay-court season as he added
Toni Nadal, uncle and former long-time coach of
Rafael Nadal, to his camp.
Although "Uncle Toni" has decades of experience and proven success with Nadal, Auger-Aliassime believes that his presence doesn't mean he has changed his goals.
“My expectations haven’t changed since I started working with him. I’ve always had very high expectations all my life and Toni hasn’t added to that,” Auger-Aliassime said. “What I’m trying to do is reach the Top 10 and try to win Grand Slams, there is nothing better than that. Adding someone that has done it before adds calmness and confidence, rather than pressure.”
The Canadian has spoken about how much respect he has for the elder Nadal, and reached the quarterfinals in Barcelona after the pair began their relationship.
“I chose to work with him and I believe he can help me reach my goals and my potential. That’s what we’re working on every day,” Auger-Aliassime said. “The preparation isn’t any different from any tournament or Grand Slam. We try to work with very high commitment, intensity and focus, and every day try and do a little better for when the first day of the tournament comes. We have a lot of good work to do.”