"Would have liked something else": Rafael Nadal's farewell ceremony could've been better says Toni Nadal in honest verdict

Toni Nadal was one of the leading lights not in attendance during Rafael Nadal's Davis Cup Finals farewell. Albeit most were expected at the weekend including Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray so it wasn't expected as soon as it happened.

But the ceremony of course was planned come what may and Toni Nadal said it could've been better and could've reflected the career of his nephew a lot more.

He said that he knows that the way these farewells are done mainly include music with images and that his create emotion and the passion needed for the ceremony without any extras.

“It was certainly emotional with the public’s support. I like to see images of these events, I would have liked to see images of Rafael winning the Davis Cup in Seville, of Rafael at the Madrid tournament, at Roland Garros or Wimbledon, because this creates more emotion,” Toni said during an interview with El Larguero on SER radio.

“I’m not trying to criticize anyone. I would have preferred something different, more in line with his career. I appreciate the gesture they had as a family member and former coach of Rafael, and the good intentions, but afterwards, I would have liked something else. 

“Nowadays, much more emotional events can be organized by mixing music with images, and Rafael is a person whose images convey passion and emotion. If they had done this, it would have been more fitting.”

He also said that he perhaps expected a better level out of Rafa after watching him in practice in Manacor with Roberto Bautista Agut and that David Ferrer likely had the same verdict.

“I saw him training in Manacor, even playing against Bautista (Roberto Bautista Agut) and some others on the circuit. The truth is that my nephew was playing at a very acceptable level, taking sets from these players, and David Ferrer must have thought the same.” Toni said of Nadal.

“In the end, what usually doesn’t happen often happened: Rafael used to play better in matches than in practice. This time, it was the opposite. Between the emotions, the lack of matches…

“It were an individual tournament, I wouldn’t have suffered much, but being for the Spanish team, I suffered watching his match and the doubles match because it meant defeat, it meant that Rafael’s point would have been important. It feels worse because you are defending your country and this time it didn’t work out. There, the activity of his legs was lower, and when that happens, everything declines a bit, you hit the ball a bit later, it causes less damage to your opponent.”