Toni Nadal:
“My commitment to Rafa was to tell him the truth, not what he wanted to hear.
Listening to and being guided was the basis of his career. Listening to the advice is a sign of intelligence. Only a fool thinks he knows everything. The final talent is the result of initial talent and work. You have to be persistent in what you do and not make excuses.
Apologies prevent progress, and therefore achieve its objectives.
What has determined Rafa’s success on and off the court is a common quality for all successful people: resilience.
Rafa once said to me, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to lose this game. Federer can win it, but I’m not going to lose him.”
You can’t wait for success to happen if you don’t expect it to be difficult. To stand out is very difficult, to be better than the others as well. Most of the time, you can’t do it. So you have to try to be better than yourself, improve yourself.
Be aware that if you are prepared to do what is necessary, things should be fine.
Passionate about what you do, have fun and don’t be afraid that things won’t happen right away. And do it again. Keep trying.”
Chris Lewit is one of a few coaches in the US certified in the Nadal Method.