LONDON — Right after the singular Wimbledon awards ceremony, Inside Tennis weaved through the swarming English crowd to catch up with champion Rafael Nadal‘s uncle and coach Toni Nadal, who spoke to us as we weaved through the crowd and then took a back route via the outer courts to reach the locker room.
INSIDE TENNIS: On the big break points Rafa raises his level and plays so well. At the big moments, he played with such confidence:
TONI NADAL: At the big moments. the important moments. like 15-30, he played really good. IT All those break points.
TN: Yes, on all those points he played with confidence.
IT: To come back after all those problems he had last year on court and off court, what are you most proud of?
TN: I am proud that he came back after the people said Rafael is done. Now he is again champion here.
IT: To come from the clay and to again win on grass, is incredible. Some say he is at core a clay court player.
TN: I don’t know exactly that because he has been playing in four finals here. He is not only a clay player, no. He made final in Australia and won in Madrid. Many times he does well. People say many times he is a clay court player, but he does well on…
IT: He is the only Spaniard with multiple grass-court titles.
TN: Yes, he is the only Spaniard with multiple titles, but with the four finals here Rafael is one of the best players on grass in the last, I don’t know, 20 years.
IT: The U.S. Open is a ways away, but what will his strategy be for preparing.
TN: It will be the same as here. Try to play aggressive. We want to make a return like here, mostly in front. It is a matter of confidence, it’s very important. When you are confident, things come more easily.
IT: When did his confidence come back — in Monte Carlo.
TN: In Monte Carlo. We won the tournament there and he played really good to start the [clay] season and we won a tournament. He played really well in Indian Wells and Miami, but he loses. He lose in Doha too, so the confidence came back when he won in Monte Carlo.
IT: Finally, Toni, what about his knees. The circuit is so demanding, so tough on anyone’s knees. Are you concerned.
TN: His knees are very good now, no problem and I hope it is this way for the whole season.
