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Toni Nadal has recognized that at times he was "too hard" with his nephew Rafael, trying to make "the demand become self-demanding" and making him grow "with the idea of ​​enduring a little more", and stressed that "happiness is it comes more directly from the effort than from the fun. "

"I was hard, sometimes too hard, because I was very fond of him. I knew and I know that life is not easy and I tried to make the demand become self-demanding , because each person has to be responsible. Never an excuse made us win a match ", he said Friday during a conference organized by the Ankaria Foundation at the University College of Financial Studies (CUNEF) in Madrid.

Thus, one of the keys to Nadal's success was the effort. "Rafa grew up with the idea of ​​holding on a little more," he said. "He grew up as an athlete with three basic facts: hit the ball harder, place it where the opponent was not and try to make it fall on the track," he added.

"The great objective we set was not to win Wimbledon or Roland Garros, because it was a challenge that did not depend entirely on us; however, what was our responsibility was to improve. That was the great challenge of my nephew, knowing that improvement was possible and having the resolution to be a great professional since I was young, "he continued.

In this sense, he explained that "happiness is reached more directly by effort than by fun." " Everything that facilitates things in excess, weakens, and that is what happens today with technologies , which have replaced the essential part of the human being, which is his mind," he said.

"You can win the ATP Finals"

In addition, Toni told EFE that his nephew is training and playing "very well" so he would be in a position to end the year in a positive way: "Rafael could win the Nitto ATP Finals in London." "It will be very difficult because they are Medvedev, Djkovic, Federer." he added, but is aware of the challenge that is presented to the Manacor tennis player who will compete "against the best".

Toni said Rafael arrives in "very good condition": "I trained him one day to replace Moya and I thought he was playing very well." The Nitto ATP Finals, formerly known as the Copa de Maestros, which will be held in December at the O2 Arena in London, is a title that still resists the 12-time Roland Garros champion.

On the Davis Cup, Toni Nadal, reiterated his gratitude to footballer Gerard Piqué for getting involved in it and dare to reform the tournament that as it was set up by the International Tennis Federation (IFT) "was unfeasible" and regretted that the ITF I didn't solve it: "They never made a change that made it easier for the best players to participate." The calendar and the surface changes, he said, were the big pitfall: "You play in Miami a week, then you move to Australia and then return to Monte Carlo, there are three different surfaces in two weeks." he remembered.

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