Toni often jokes that he has fulfilled two important requirements to be a good coach for Nadal.
“First of all, I am his uncle and it is harder to dismiss a relative than any other. Secondly, I was the cheapest coach out there,” he says in a deadpan voice.
Under his uncle's watchful eye, Nadal won 16 of his 22 Grand Slam titles. In 2017, Toni decided he had had enough of traveling the world and retired from his role as Rafael's head coach.
While one could easily assume from the stories that Toni was a tyrannical figure who was equally demanding and short-tempered, this is not a fair portrayal.
Nadal speaks of the “fun and magic” in their relationship, while those who know him well speak of a man who is serious and open, but also approachable, generous and with a keen sense of humor.
“Despite all Toni's talk, I'm not one of those athletes whose life stories are all about overcoming dark beginnings on their way to the top. “I had a fairytale childhood,” Nadal wrote in his book.
The couple remain close – as does the entire Nadal clan, they all still live in Manacor – and Toni describes their relationship as a “normal” relationship between uncle and nephew.
When Rafael won his 10th French Open title in 2017 – Toni's last Roland Garros as his coach – the beaming uncle came to court Philippe Chatrier to present the trophy. Pride beamed across his face, the love between the two radiating as they hugged each other tightly.
“If we could go back to the time when I started playing tennis with Rafael and you said he would win 22 Grand Slams, I would have said it was impossible,” says Toni.
“But now, because of the path he's taken – winning Grand Slams almost every year and improving his record – it feels normal.”
“We have proven that an ordinary boy from Manacor – with effort and sacrifice – managed to achieve the many goals he set for himself at a young age.”
A version of this article was first published in May 2021.
