It had been several weeks since Toni Nadal was really around, but Félix Auger-Aliassime, author of an average start to the season, had not been questioned on the subject. This moment arrived on Thursday, the day after the withdrawal due to an injury to the right hip of Jannik Sinner, whom the 35th in the world was to challenge in the quarter-finals. “Until further notice, Toni is no longer actively part of the team and is no longer traveling with us. But it’s an outside opinion with experience,” he said, evasively, in English.
“For this period, he is not here but I am not closing the door to seeing him again in a tournament”
Félix Auger-Aliassime on Toni Nadal
A few minutes later, the Canadian was a little more talkative in French, without speaking out about this advisor, uncle of Rafael Nadal, with whom he had been working for three years. “We made an announcement when we started working together. In the end, we preferred not to do it. I’m not a fan of always publicly announcing what I do. Toni is someone I really like, we had a lot of good times together. »
“After Indian Wells and Miami, I decided that I wanted to go on the clay court tour, without planning even further, with Fred (Frédéric Fontang, his French coach) and my father. For this period, he is not there but I am not closing the door to seeing him again in a tournament. We are in contact, he wrote to me this week and I think he is happy to see my progress. » Contacted, Fontang declined the interview request.
The return of the father
Auger-Aliassime has therefore reinstated his father to his staff for several months. Sam Auger-Aliassime was there during the indoor season, in Monte-Carlo and Munich, and he will be there at Roland-Garros. “He is not a coach who has won Grand Slams in the past but he remains my father, I have a lot of respect and admiration for him, he really gives me a lot of confidence. This is a strength that can be used in my team. » Opposed to Andrey Rublev, 8th in the world, on Sunday, in the final in Madrid, the Canadian has the opportunity to conquer his first Masters 1000 at the age of 23. If this were the case, Toni Nadal would not fail to congratulate him.