Toni Nadal talks about Felix Auger-Aliassime’s recent slump in form

Felix Auger-Aliassime and his coach Frederic Fontang recently announced during a Zoom conversation that Toni Nadal will be joining them on the ATP Tour. The Canadian, who is currently ranked No. 22 in the FedEx ATP Ranking, shared the news that he will be working with Nadal starting from the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters tournament.

At the start of the 2022 season, the 22-year-old had not won any singles titles as he had lost in eight consecutive finals, with the first loss occurring in February 2019 and the most recent one in June 2021. However, he was able to win his first singles title in February by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Rotterdam Open final. Despite this victory, he lost his ninth final at the Open 13 in Marseille.

Felix Auger-Aliassime’s season has not been going as well as he hoped, with disappointing losses and only reaching the semi-finals at best in Doha. His advisor, Toni Nadal, openly discussed this challenging time in an interview with Talking Tennis. He said “He hasn’t been playing very well for a few tournaments. He has problems with his service. But I’m very happy to collaborate with Félix because he is a great person, well-educated on and off the court. A good fighter. He needs to improve a bit if he wants to win Grand Slams and become world number 1.”

Rafa’s uncle acknowledged that it will be challenging for Felix Auger-Aliassime to compete with talented players like Alcaraz, Sinner, and Medvedev. However, he also expressed that with hard work, Felix has the potential to succeed because there is significant room for improvement, with many aspects that can be worked on.

Also Read: “He is undistracted,” Novak Djokovic lauded by Todd Martin for establishing his own legacy despite criticism by Fedal fans

Toni Nadal sets retirement conditions as Rafael Nadal’s injury comeback is addressed

The uncle and former coach of Rafael Nadal, Toni Nadal, recently spoke about the eventual retirement of his nephew as the tennis player remains sidelined due to injury. According to Toni, there are a few conditions that Rafael would have to meet for him to continue playing. Additionally, he addressed Rafael’s chances of making a comeback in the upcoming Monte Carlo tournament, noting that time is running out for the 36-year-old to decide whether or not he will participate.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, Rafael Nadal, is aiming to return to the tennis court on clay, with the major Monte Carlo event starting in less than a week. In response to Rafael’s hopes of making a comeback, his uncle Toni stated that he did not have much information on his nephew’s progress. Although Rafael Nadal’s former coach, Toni Nadal, has confirmed that the former world No. 1 is feeling alright after being sidelined for three months, he noted that it would be difficult to determine Rafael’s condition until he actually returns to the tour.

Toni said “Yes, he’s feeling okay but it’s not easy to know exactly because you have to know when you compete because it’s not the same when you practice than when you compete. But really I cannot say exactly how he is.” As Rafael Nadal’s physical health continues to be problematic, Toni Nadal discussed the possibility of Rafael’s eventual retirement and gave his opinion on what his nephew might decide to do. Although the coach of Felix Auger-Aliassime acknowledged that he never discussed this subject with Rafael, he shared his personal belief that Rafael will continue to play tennis until he believes he can no longer win.

In case you missed it:

• Rafael Nadal’s Academy signs up a lucrative deal to build a sports center in Malaga
• Coco Gauff splits with coach Diego Moyano as wait for big titles continues

Stay Updated!

Join our newsletter to receive exclusive updates and curated insights directly to your inbox.

Subscribe NOW