Toni Nadal says: The moment of my retiring from the courts is coming soon. via planetatenis.es Translated by Ericka Domenzáin Toni Nadal (Manacor, February 21, 1961) does not need any introductions. Elegant, quiet and friendly. He receives in a relaxed way to Planet Tennis in a downtown hotel in Barcelona. We are facing the most intimate Toni, who lives away from the spotlight. A self-made man in Manacor and who has also grown with Rafael Nadal and helped him to reach the top. Quickly strives to repeat again and again the successes of his nephew. With Rafael (he mentioned him that way during the interview) he joins a relationship beyond family and professional. A full relationship based from the love and respect where lots of the success of the tennis player from Manacor were baked. Toni is a serene man who confesses that he uses social networks,he plays chess when he gets up and hes tired of football. Old school, the coach of the best Spanish player of all time, talks disappointed abt the relationship many players have with their coaches. They have lost the respect for authority confesses worried. He talks about his dreams and does not hide the desire for his children to be tennis players. Toni Nadal responds, honest, to Tennis Planet. Question: How has your relation with Rafa changed during the last years? Answer: It changes as the figure of a father and son when he gets older. The relationships between people change. Especially when the age gap difference is established. The relationship has changed as Rafael is growing up. At first I was dictating everything that was done and as Rafael grows older it is him who gives the direction of things, not me, that is, in part, what responsible people do. I have always worked with the idea that he was the responsible one, not me. Q:it is logical,he is not a child anymore.. A:Obviously when youre young the responsability falls on the older person but as the other one matures,the desitions have to be his. Q:Do you play tenis? A:Currently I do not play anything. I played tennis when I was young but now just a few times. When I have no choice because we need a sparring partner for Rafael, I do. But it is not good for me because I have back problems. Q:How are the sensations when you play with your nephew? A:They are bad ones.The ball comes to fast and sometimes I have to swallow them(laughs). I am at an age where I am close to say good bye to the courts,wheter Rafa continues playing or not Q:Do you read the news? A:Almost never. First because I have no interest in sports media. That does not mean that sometimes I take a glance if Rafael has won something important. To be informed, yes I read something more general. Although I am quite disappointed ... the press responds to a part of the government and has economic interest and I do not have special interest in following. Q:Do you have social websites? A:No. I think there is someone stealing my identity on Facebook . But Im from another generation. I have little interest in explaining my life. I do not think anyone could be interested. Q:What is the 1st thing you do when you wake up? A:I get up very early every morning. I usually wake up before sunrise. My house is by the sea and the first thing I do is look at it, read some news on the internet and often play chess. Sometimes when I get up and people at home still have not woken up, I connect to internet and play a game. Q:this August was different for you,instead of being in the US with Rafa u were at home,how was that different for you? A:Obviously a lot has changed regarding recent seasons. We expected to be in the American tour but in the end it could not be. It is always a hard not to compete, especially when it comes to major tournaments like Rafael missed this summer but I enjoy other aspects. In life, you have to accept things as they come. One is prepared to do his job. In the world of sports there are times when injuries prevent you from doing what you have been preparing to but eventually you accept it. There are always reasons to be happy. Q:Have you played golf with Rafa during that time? A:Yes,we have played golf but I am a worst player than my nephew(laughs) Q:Many ppl have talked abt how good Rafa is at golf,has he thought abt becoming a professional golf player? A:No. Never. It would be illogical. He plays well, is handicap 3 but to think that after being a tennis player...it could be bad for golf players. Q:Is Rafa different when he is at home than when he goes to the tournaments in another countries in the world? A:Not,he is the same. Although it is true that Rafael is a public figure for all the influence he has had on the world of tennis and in Mallorca he is a bit more relaxed. The Mallorcan are closed minded in a way. We are half Catalans, who are also closed and we have a somewhat different view. Being from an island,it makes you feel afraid of the outside and that makes you to be a bit more closed minded ... but well ... we have spent many years touring and we have been required to be open. I have seen many times where the players lose complete respect for their coaches. Q:We know it will take a little while for Rafa to retired but what will have to you when that happens? A:Well ... Im not worried about what comes next. I am at an age where I will say good bye to the courts whether Rafa retires or not .I guess Ill keep connected with the world of tennis. Rafael opened an academy in Manacor so I guess Ill come to work there. It is also true that I have had several offers to go to do things at different places in Europe but what I have clear is that I want to continue in the world of tennis. Q:Do you reject the idea of training someone else? A:It would be pretty hard after being so many years with Rafael and who has also been a great player and so successful. During the relationship I have not felt uncomfortable at any time. The current situation of young people is difficult regarding the loss of respect for the older ppl.I would never be willing to be below anyone. I like way more, and also think it is more important, the initial training when you are not already in the loop because, in the end, one responds to what they have been prepared for all youth. Q:Rafa´s training before being a pro has made him who he is now? A:The training has helped him to succeed but what has been the key is his talent. When you are one of the best players in the history is not only through training,but talent. What I do think is that the training has helped him to have a good attitude in the world and has also helped to overcome some adversities that he has faced Q:We read recently that you said, when I get the inspiration I want to find myself working ... A:This is an essential fact of life. I do not think the people who succeed or that stands out is only the fruit of labor.I do not think its just a result of work a Roger Federer, Michael Jordan ... The thing is that if you don´t work,you would never be like them. And as most people do,I am convinced that work helps us fully. I am a defensor of work, especially the mental effort. Q:Today, with young people today, it does not seem a simple task to perform this job ... or do you see it possible? A:It would be possible but you have a difficulty today,due to society. It is more difficult for all the technological advances, the immediacy of things and then by the role the youth have taken within the family and society. It is currently difficult to contradict young ppl whereas before in my time,it was normal. You were going to school and if someone gave you a slap nothing happened. You knew that you had to respond to what you were required to do. Currently it is difficult for children to have respect for teachers, educators, seniors ... society has changed a lot. If Rafa had had another trainer,it is posible that he wouldn´t have been a tennis player. Q:Has the respect for old ppl being lost? A:I think so. My wife is a school teacher and the change in the student teacher relation has been very noticeable. The teacher has lost her authority. It would have been unthinkable years ago that a player could talk to the coach disrespectfully. Is on the agenda today. In my area I have seen many times how the player has lost almost all respect for the coach. Q:Why has this happened? A:Poor training of young people. Obviously with the cooperation of the parents. The advantage Ive had with Rafael is that he has never directed a disrespectful word to me. Although it is also true that there are players who have a bad behavior with their coaches have been very successful. Q:If Rafa had had another trainer,would he have been so successful? A:My role... (thinks, looks up and continues ...)I do not know what to say ... For Rafael I have been a key bcs there was a time where i directed and I gave the guidelines I wanted from his game, his behavior on and off the track . Obviously there also were his parents. If he had had another coach, he probably would not have been as dedicated to tennis bcs as a child, he loved football more. Q:Has there been a moment in your mind during all these years to stop coaching Rafa? A:No. Obviously over the years, as is logical in any relationship, there are frictions. But he has never thought of leaving the situation. I was a pretty tough coach, especially in the formative stage but now Rafael is 28 years old and things have changed a lot. Q:Is it true that when Rafa started he didnpt know with which hand to play and u made him play with the left hand? A:No! of course not, I am not so foolish [laughs]. What it is certain is that he was playing around with both hands. And what I said is that he had to play with one hand. I asked, how many top ten do you see that play two-handed? None, therefore, you will not be the first. From the beginning when he wanted to hit the ball harder he did it a little stronger with the left side and so I thought it was a lefty. I wouldn´t have signed that rafa would be an Albert Costa Q:He is lefty on his feet... A:Sure. He is left when he kicks the bal so I thought he was also left handed. What happens is that today the only thing he does with his left hand is to play tenis. Q:Why is Rafa a different tenis player? A:One of his features is the passion he puts into everything he does and intensity. When Rafael was little I demanded a lot of intensity in every practice and every game. This intensity is the distinguishing feature of Rafael. I like him to have a passionate and intense attitude in the game. Its what we train. Of course, when he suffered a serious foot injury we had to stop a bit and went carefully. Otherwise, hed have kept his intensity higher in his career. Q:This 2014 marks the tenth anniversary of the first title of your nephew as a professional and winning the Davis Cup. Time flies .... A:Yes, I did not expect this progression but I always had confidence that Rafael was a great player. I remember many years ago being at Carlos Moya´s place in Barcelona. Rafael was 15 and Moyá asked me if I would sign that Rafael would be an Albert Costa. I said no. Would you sign it to be a Carlos Moya? And I said yes, because at that time was the present. When I was alone with Rafael said I would no sign it even if it was a joke. I knew that Rafael could be very good, and had confidence in him because I was working for him to be. He dreamed big. But I think I would not have signed for any of them. Q:Risky! A:After winning his first Roland Garros, while training in Manacor, Rafael asked me how many Grand Slams would I sign to finish with him his career. I told him five or six. And there has already been fourteen ... Q:Talking abt Carlos Moyá,how is he after what happened at the Davis cup? A:Not very well,especially for what happened to Spain.Not a failure for him, but for Spain. And not for those who have participated, but for the ones who didn´t go Those who went did everything they could . But thats a failure for the Spanish courts for not having made a better team to win the eliminatory. Q:Will rafa go in 2015? A:Yes, I think so. The idea is to play. Rafael would have played in Brazil, and so we said it toCarlos Moya. He could not go because of the injury. Q:The schedule will involve travel outside after Wimbledon, probably Russia. A:It is complicated by how the calendar is set. This is the problem of the Davis Cup, which seems to be done with their feet. Rafael has played with great intensity and stress from Miami to Wimbledon, almost non-stop over the past ten years. I think you need a break to recover, rest and prepare for the tour on hardcourt. The date of July 17-18 is a difficult week. Q:would u be interested in coaching the Davis Cup? A:I do not think they will ask me and I do not think I am the right person.To coach the Davis Cup, in Spain, there are enough ex high level players that I think would be well above me.I do not think at all I would be good for the Davis Cup. It is basically a position (he doubts, makes silence and continues) ... I have to be careful, because whatever I say,it is bad. Anyway ... its a position that has a responsibility but we know that all players travel with coaches. Taking responsibility to choose and decide who is on track to end I think those who go there must be former players who have good name in the Spanish courts. And there is no place for me. I would, if I had to work for the Federation, do something where I think I will be more valid, which is on issues of training players. Q:The golden age of Spanish sport is ending or society is just too alarmist? A:There has been a time when the Spanish sport has been high in many sports. I guess its not normal for the Spanish football team to win European Championship, World Cup and European Championship. The blow was so hard. In tennis has also been very hard to go down to second division, and that does not help. In Spain there are very good athletes in football, basketball, motorcycle, motorsport, cycling and tennis, of course. I do not think its the end of the golden age, but it is normal for Spain is not permanently on top. I would love my children to be pro tenis player,that would be a dream for me Q:do you like football? A:Less and less. I do not like some behaviors seen on football fields. I like fair play. Because international federations do not want to set a remedy, we see how the player who cheats is a clever, unlike all other sports. Protests constantly are angry, evil intent on the inputs is constant, the disrespect to the rival celebrations are constantly every weekend. Then, to me I like normal, when I see all those hairstyles and tattoos, I do not like it. Overall football attracts me less than before, I guess it is bcs of my age. What I do not like is certain behaviors that are allowed in the world of football. Q:Miguel Angel Nadal was player of FC Barcelona, Rafa likes Real Madrid ... Its all spread over the Nadal family. A:We have half family madridista and the other hald barcelonista His father is from Madrid and from a very early age he was into that. The truth is that Rafael is a fan of Real Madrid. Well, not a fan, a big fan. It makes me sad ... (laughs). Q:Sometimes ppl think that what Rafael makes can become easy. What do you think about this? A:To be successful in anything of life is not easy. I am not exaggerating or belittling things. Anything that you want to highlight, is always difficult. To be the best, or the best in an activity is difficult because there are many who start and many who do not make it. But it is not impossible. If it were so complicated, we would not have known what to do, then neither one thing nor the other. It is not easy. Or at least I do not find it easy to return a ball at two hundred kilometers per hour. Nor it seems easy to beat Djokovic, Federer, Murray or David Ferrer. Q:Is there something else Toni Nadal wants to win in the world of tenis? A:Many. The first is that my children would be good tennis players. No doubt it would be a great dream. But to me everyday makes me dream with something. Go to New York and try to win, it gives me great satisfaction. Now when we go to Paris Bercy Masters or London, well go with the illusion of winning. I value things and try to be grateful for everything that has happened to us. We have done very well and the truth is that as I know the difficulty, any small success I value a lot. For me winning any tournament is almost a dream.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 17:17:02 +0000
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