Former British No. 1 Tim Henman thinks Rafael Nadal facing Toni Nadal must be uncomfortable for everyone involved, including Felix Auger-Aliassime. Nadal split with Uncle Toni five years ago but their relationship remains impeccable.
Since last year, Uncle Toni has been working with Auger-Aliassime. Today, Auger-Aliassime is set to face Nadal for the first time since hiring Uncle Toni. “Is there some small-print in the contract that Toni does sit in the box ? I don’t know.
It must be a little bit uncomfortable for everyone involved. I don’t know what the answer is,” Henman said on Eurosport, per Tennis Up To Date.
Nadal set to take on Auger-Aliassime
Nadal said he doubts his uncle will want him lose but noted that he is now the coach of another player and he needs to act professionaly.
“I don’t think he will be able to want me to lose, without a doubt, but he’s a professional and he’s with another player. I don’t know what’s gonna happen, if he’s gonna stay in the box or not, but I don’t care.
I have zero problem with that,” Nadal said. When Auger-Aliassime was asked if Uncle Toni would give him any insight into how to play Nadal, he downplayed it by saying that everybody knows how Nadal plays. “I don’t know if I need insight on how Rafa plays, to be honest.
I think we all know what he does well (smiling). I don’t think Toni will, you know, tell me anything new about Rafa,” Auger-Aliassime said, per Musab Abid. “But we had the discussion, you know , it was black and white from the first time we started working together we knew it was a possibility that eventually I would play Rafa when I’m working with Toni.
And actually now he’s present here in this Grand Slam. But I think Toni will watch from a neutral place and enjoy the match.”