Toni Nadal is one of the most decorated tennis coaches of all time, having helped nurture Rafael Nadal into the legendary superstar he became.
And, whilst he has delved into other roles with new players since then, the Spaniard has never really come close to emulating the levels he reached with his nephew.
Naturally, that is a task that is near-impossible.
However, if he were to join up with one of Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, then suddenly that narrative would shift.
Speaking at an event in Rome earlier this month, Nadal has actually explained which of these two best players in the world he would rather coach, and why.
Toni Nadal explains why he’d rather coach Jannik Sinner over Carlos Alcaraz
It seems like this was not a difficult decision for the 65-year-old to make.
And, it might not have been the one that most expected, given the fact that he and Alcaraz are both from Spain.
Was Arthur Fils the best hope of anyone beating Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros this year? 😢
This clearly had little bearing on Nadal’s thought process, as he instead argued: “I’d train Sinner.
“He’s got discipline, good manners, and a mindset that reminds one of the all-time greats. I like working with people who accept being told the truth and don’t cause bother.
“I like working with people who don’t create problems and who accept the truth. Everything in life can be improved: it’s just a matter of dedication.”
Nadal had predicted whether Alcaraz could complete the Calendar Slam this year, offering praise to the 23-year-old then. Sadly, injury has removed that as a possibility, having forced him to already withdraw from Wimbledon, just weeks after he did the same with Roland Garros.
What Jannik Sinner said when Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from Roland Garros
Whilst Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Roland Garros has made Sinner the overwhelming favourite to win the title, Sinner seemed downcast when discussing the news not long after it broke.
Speaking at the Madrid Open, the Italian claimed: “I think this is not what we should talk about. I think the most important thing to say is that, first of all, tennis needs Carlos – tennis is [in] a much better spirit when he’s around.
Can anyone now stop Jannik Sinner from winning Roland Garros after Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal?
If yes, who?
“And also for me personally, it’s nice when he’s around; it makes me look also in the draw and single matches in a different way. Even though if I face Carlos, it would always be in the final, being the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, that’s the case.
“I send him a speedy recovery, even though it’s painful and very sad for tennis.”
Sinner has spoken about now being the French Open favourite after Alcaraz’s withdrawal, insisting that his great rival will come back stronger.