It’s indoor season time... this picture was earlier today practicing at the @rnadalacademy ... And yes... getting ready for #ParisBercy 😉💪🏻
Following his tenth Roland Garros triumph in 2017, the organizers prepared two trophies, one for the champion Rafael Nadal and the other for his uncle and coach Toni.
Toni made the first tennis steps with Rafa when his nephew was 3, instructing him always to give his best and show respect to every rival, regardless of the ranking position. Under his uncle's close eye, Rafa became of the players to watch in the early 2000s, cracking the top-100 at a young age and beating world no. 1 Roger Federer in Miami 2004 at 17.
A year later, Rafa won the Roland Garros title on his debut in Paris, becoming the dominant figure on the slowest surface and writing history books 12 years later after securing the tenth Parisian trophy. That 2017 triumph was Nadal's last with his uncle in the coaching box, as Tony stopped coaching his nephew at the end of that season, leaving Carlos Moya as his only mentor. Toni went back home to Mallorca, taking care of Rafa Nadal Academy and sharing his knowledge with kids.
"I realized that my contribution was no longer required. I've been a very demanding coach, and my goal was to educate Rafa always to seek everything from himself. The job of a trainer is to make yourself dispensable, and I accomplished that. I was fortunate to train a great player who happens to be my nephew; I feel grateful for it. I like to teach children, like now in Manacor, because I have the feeling that I can give them more than my nephew," Toni Nadal said.
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