Rafael Nadal: the ‘tough love’ that shaped a 22-time Grand Slam champion

Toni often jokes that he has ticked two important boxes to be a good coach for Nadal.

“First of all, I’m his uncle and it’s harder to fire a family member than anyone else. The second is that I was the cheapest coach around,” he says with a dry look.

Nadal won 16 of his 22 Grand Slam titles under the watchful eye of his uncle. In 2017, Toni decided he had had enough of traveling the world and quit his role as Rafael’s head coach.

Although it is easy to deduce from the stories that Toni was a tyrannical figure, demanding and short-tempered in equal measure, 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 outspoken, but also receptive, generous and with a keen sense of humor.

“Despite all the talk I got from Toni, I am not one of those athletes whose life stories are all about overcoming dark beginnings in their climb to the top. I had a fairytale childhood,” Nadal wrote in his book.

The pair remain close – like the entire Nadal clan, they all still live in Manacor – with Toni describing their relationship as a “normal” one between uncle and cousin.

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 radiated across his face, the love between the pair radiating as they shared a tight hug.

“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 has taken – winning Grand Slams almost every year and improving his score – it feels normal.

“We have proven that a normal child from Manacor – with effort and sacrifice – has managed to achieve the many goals he set when he was young.”

A version of this article was first published in May 2021.