Uncle Toni on training with Rafael Nadal: "I often let him train with bad balls"
Toni Nadal , Rafael Nadal's uncle and long-term coach , talks about his tough training methods.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jun 07, 2020, 02:35 pm
Toni Nadal and his tennis training with his young nephew - it was often not a pleasure for good Rafael Nadal. Often he had to pull the seats off the entire group, mostly playing in the sun, according to the stories that the uncle always likes to tell. Everything to toughen up "Rafa" - and just not to give him the impression that he is something special.
In an interview with the Swiss Blick that is worth reading, Toni Nadal has now unearthed a few old stories. He had often let Nadal train with bad balls and in bad places, extended the training sessions of 90 minutes over and over again without comment in order to teach his nephew. And in the games over 20 points? "Most of the time I let Rafael lead to the match point and then still win."
However, Rafa Nadal was the best student you can imagine. Always willing to learn. Its harshness and rigor should never have been a method, just a means. "Over time, my high demands became his own. This is the best case. Because a player should do things because I convince him. Not because I ask for it."
Toni Nadal: "It is really stupid to lie to yourself"
It is crucial that a child wants to become a champion and want to learn. "The problem is that a lot of people these days don't have the persistence they need. They get frustrated too quickly when things don't go well. And many are unwilling to change their habits and do things as high as possible to do."
He once told his nephew what Roger Federer could do better before one of the first matches against the Swiss. "It would have been useless to fool him. Because at the latest he meets reality in the square. Better if he knows it beforehand. In life, it is generally not wise to lie to others. Because you almost never get away with it. And right it is stupid to lie to yourself. It is wiser to think about how you can win. Rafael won in four sets, by the way, because his will and dedication were outstanding and he played every point as if it were the last . "
"If you want to improve a shot in tennis, you have to practice it a thousand times"
A good sense is important, Toni warned. If things weren't going well or Rafael had doubts about himself, he motivated and built him up. On the other hand, if everything went well, he would have asked him to do more work to improve himself further. You currently live in a world in which people primarily want to have fun and have a good time. "Even the training sessions are supposed to be fun and entertaining. But life is not just fun and entertainment. If you want to improve a shot in tennis, you have to practice it a thousand times. This can be brutally monotonous. Anyone who needs constant input or praise, hardly improves. "
Toni Nadal also used one trick, however, after Nadal's first victory in Roland Garros in 2005. "At the time, I listed Rafael the names of all Spanish players who had only won one Grand Slam in their career, and asked him if he want to be one of those or achieve more. " The result: So far twelve titles at the French Open. And there is no end in sight yet.