By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Wimbledon—Novak Djokovic is Grand Slam king, however Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal exert a higher affect on tennis, says Toni Nadal in a brand new interview.
Talking to ClayTennis.com, Toni Nadal, Rafa Nadal’s uncle and authentic coach, mentioned each Federer and Nadal have transcended tennis greater than Djokovic. Toni Nadal additionally says had Rafa Nadal not suffered so many accidents “he in all probability would have received greater than the others.”
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Uncle Toni additionally identified of the Large 3 champions solely Rafa Nadal owns the profession Golden Slam—successful all 4 Grand Slam championships in addition to Olympic gold medals in each singles and doubles, which he achieved partnering buddy and now coach Marc Lopez on the 2016 Rio Olympic Video games.
“I feel Federer and Nadal have transcended their sport greater than Djokovic,” Toni Nadal advised ClayTennis.com. “And Federer has transcended his sport greater than anybody else.
“Relating to categorizing who’s the very best… we must set up clear requirements which can be all the time a bit open to opinion, as a result of who’s the very best, the one who holds the world file or the one who wins the Olympics? I don’t know.
“I feel the one who has managed to play at a greater degree and do harder issues is Federer, the one who has received extra is Djokovic and if we have been to depend all of the issues Rafael hasn’t performed due to damage, he would in all probability have received greater than the others.”
Toni Nadal says based mostly on file, Djokovic is the very best, nonetheless he asserts each Federer and Rafa Nadal are extra essential to the sport’s progress than the 36-year-old Serbian famous person.
Twenty-three time Grand Slam champion Djokovic is 2 wins away from capturing his twenty fourth main title to equal Margaret Courtroom’s all-time Grand Slam file.
If Djokovic defeats Jannik Sinner within the semifinals and goes on to defend his Wimbledon crown on Sunday, he’ll tie Federer with eight Wimbledon championships. If Djokovic defends Wimbledon he’ll arrive in New York for subsequent month’s US Open on the verge of momentous historical past bidding to turn into each the primary man since Rocket Rod Laver in 1969 to win the calendar Grand Slam and seize a twenty fifth Grand Slam crown to interrupt Courtroom’s file, which was as soon as believed to be untouchable.
Nonetheless, Toni Nadal says the actual fact solely one of many 4 Grand Slam is performed on clay and the year-end ATP Finals are staged on exhausting court docket hurts his nephew’s trigger and helps Djokovic in his hunt for historical past.
“Nicely, Djokovic is best as a result of he has received extra titles than Rafael. If Djokovic is 23?” Toni Nadal mentioned. “However let’s set up quite a lot of issues: we reside in a tour that’s all the time performed on quick courts. My nephew all the time performs three Grand Slams on the floor he doesn’t do effectively and one on the floor he does effectively.
“He has all the time performed all of the Masters on the floor he doesn’t do effectively on. On this planet of sport, the officers can tip the steadiness by hook or by crook. Who wins the Tour de France? If the sports activities officers places within the mountains, one sort of rider will win it, and if he places in a time trial, one other sort of rider will win it.”
In an interview with Tennis Now previous to the pandemic, Toni Nadal, who performs with a one-handed backhand himself, referred to as Federer probably the most fashionable and one of the vital essential gamers as a result of he drew so many individuals all around the world to play and watch tennis.
“If I used to be not Rafael’s uncle and coach I’d need Federer to win each match,” Toni Nadal advised Tennis Now in that 2020 interview.
After his nephew rallied to defeat Daniil Medvedev within the 2022 Australian Open last, Toni Nadal mentioned if Rafa had not endured so many accidents, Mentioning his nephew suffered a foot damage after defeating Mariano Puerta to win his maiden main on the 2005 Roland Garros and battled via the ache of the continual foot damage to struggle again from two units down vs. Daniil Medvedev within the Melbourne last, Toni Nadal mentioned if Rafa Nadal had been more healthy in his profession “he would have been the very best.”
“I attempt to not be a fan of something or my nephew or something,” Toni Nadal mentioned. “The one who’s a fanatic is a closed individual.
“Who’s the very best? It’s a tough factor to find out.
“The one who manages to play on the highest degree punctually, the one who wins probably the most titles… If my nephew hadn’t been injured a lot, and it is not uncle’s love, he would have been the very best.”
Photograph credit score: Getty
