Family is everything to Rafael Nadal.
When Nadal faces Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round of the French Open on Sunday, he won't worry if his uncle is in the stands.
Nadal talked to his coach, Toni, after his victory over Botic van de Zandschulp. He is my uncle. I don't think he will want me to lose, but he is a professional and he is with another player.
The first time Nadal faced Auger-Aliassime was when his uncle began coaching the native of Canada.
I don't know what will happen if he stays in the box or not, but I don't care. I don't have a problem with that. It is not a story for me.
I know what the feelings are between us. He wants the best for me. He is helping another player. I know he wants the best for me, and it is not a problem for me.
In addition to 14 of his record Grand Slam titles, Nadal has nine of his 13 French Open crowns. The main coach at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Toni stepped away from the tour in 2016 to work there. Carlos Moya is his coach and the former world No 1.
Whatever happens on Sunday, nothing will change between Nadal and his uncle.
He said that he could not thank enough all the things that he did for him. I want the best for him, and he wants the best for me.
We are family more than anything else. We are a family that stays together all the time. We are in the same village. We spend a lot of time together. We were living incredible emotions together.
He is also an uncle. He is more than that.
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