octobrina, I have used Google Translate.
TENNIS | THE GOODBYE OF A HISTORICAL COACH
Thanks, Rafael
After 27 years and 75 titles together, Toni Nadal stops training his nephew Rafa. The most awarded coach in the history of tennis expresses in EL PAÍS his feelings in goodbye
TONI NADAL
20 NOV 2017 - 11:12 CET
Toni and Rafa embrace the Roland Garros trophy, last June in Paris. CHRISTIAN HARTMANN REUTERS
The
Masters Cup of this last week has been the finishing touch to my career as coach of my nephew Rafael. I conclude a happy stage of 27 years that began the day when the 3 year old son of my brother Sebastian entered my tennis court. Today I leave your side but my path does not end here. I will continue to be linked to tennis because my enthusiasm and love for this sport, fortunately, remain intact.
From the beginning of my nephew's tennis career I
tried to develop a strong and decisive character in him in order to face the difficulties of tennis in particular and of life in general, as I have always considered that there is a common denominator between the two.
I have been more annoying than gentle and more demanding than given to flattery. I have given him more of a point of dissatisfaction than of pleasure and I have always transferred all responsibility to him. Following the sentence of Francisco de Quevedo - "who expects in this life that everything is to your liking, will take many dislikes" -, I never provided things more than the account to Rafael.
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I have had the luck to live with a generation of great players, but though I have always tried to defend the interests of mine it did not prevent me from seeing them from a more or less balanced perspective. I have never understood that the rivalry should go beyond the limits of the playing field and I have never considered any rival as an enemy. This has allowed me to appreciate, respect and learn from them.
Column | 'Another lost occasion'
We live in a society in which dominant fanaticism, in politics above all, but in all other fields, leads us to only take our point of view and despise, underestimate and even hate those who think or feel differently to us. My support for FC Barcelona, not to move from the sports field, does not lead me to exaggeratedly extol all their performances, nor to vilify the bullfighter spirit of Real Madrid.
I think it would do us good to begin to moderate our passions in the sports field and extend it to all others.
The time has come to look back and acknowledge and thank all that this profession has given me. My gratitude is addressed to many more or less anonymous people who have accompanied me on this trip for many years.
I particularly want to point out the members of the team that started to grow with the input of Carlos Costa, in the first place, and with the incorporation of all the others, whom I know I do not need to name one by one. I thank them all for their dedication, commitment, good work and, not least, their friendship. The coexistence with them has enriched me enormously as a professional and, of course, as a person. I would like to express my gratitude, too, to the Fluxà family for having wanted to join my name to Iberostar, a family business and balearic example of human values and prestige within the hotel sector.
I have been more annoying and demanding than gentle and given to flattery.
To all foreign journalists and, above all, Spanish journalists, who have shown both rigor and respect for the figure of my nephew and, by extension, for mine. They have not fallen into the practice of loss of prestige when things have become complicated for Rafael.
We have felt much more the encouragement and understanding on the part of the media not to have the intention to make fire wood from the fallen tree when we have gone through crises in the game or when we have suffered from injuries.
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Toni Nadal, Carlos Costa, Rafa Nadal, Rafael Maymó and Carlos Moyà, during a training session at the O2 in London, last week. JULIAN FINNEY GETTY
To the fans who have moved to the different tournaments and have acquired tickets, who have interrupted their dream to watch night games, who have supported, applauded and have been excited by the victories or defeats of Rafael. This support and affection for him have helped him to raise many glasses and my gratitude, therefore, is immense.
Your figure has magnified mine much more than I deserve.
Finally, and in a very special way, I must acknowledge and thank greatly, the person most responsible for my luck: my nephew Rafael. The relationship with him has always been uncharacteristically easy within the world in which we move. Thanks to the education, respect and passion I have been able to unfold through my way of understanding this profession.
Thanks to him I have lived experiences that have surpassed all my dreams as a coach. I have travelled by his side to incredible sites and I have met relevant and interesting people from many fields. Today I feel greatly valued and loved because his figure has magnified mine much more than I deserve.
Antonio Muñoz Molina says in his essay
Everything that was solid and regarding characters who occupied high positions just before the crisis, something similar to the following: "We thought that they were up there because they are very capable and intelligent; when in reality, it is often the other way around. As they are up there, we have come to believe that they are very capable and intelligent. "
I leave you with this idea to avoid any overvaluation of my person and I return with my dear students in Manacor. Thanks from the heart and always.
Mallorca SIR @MallorcaSIR
