Rafael Nadal's tennis coach uncle has called for drastic changes to the game. Toni Nadal, who played a key role in his now-retired nephew’s glittering career, is renowned for his outspoken views on other players and the general state of the game.
Having witnessed close-up how top-level tennis, especially in the men’s game, has evolved, Nadal has called for rackets to be reduced in size. His rationale behind the proposed change is related to the increased average size of players. In an interview with French outlet Le Monde, he said: "In tennis, the height of the net remains unchanged, while the average height of the best players on the tour has gone from 1.75m [5ft7] in my time to 1.90m [6ft2] today. And they are also more powerful.
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“I propose reducing the size of rackets. Because the very nature of the game has changed. Can you imagine a football match starting with a penalty? It would be absurd, yet that's a bit like what we do in tennis, because serves are increasingly difficult to return.”
Nadal argued that players of smaller stature are at an unfair disadvantage in the men’s game. He added: “There's no longer room for players of modest height like Guillermo Coria [the Argentinian former world No.3 stands at 5ft7] in modern tennis.
“Against an opponent of the calibre of Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard [who is 6ft6], who serves second balls at over 220kph [almost 137mph], there are no possible tactics, except to weather the storm.”
Nadal identified two problems that are adversely affecting the game. He added: “The world's best players have an unspectacular game, and young players prefer to turn to padel, because it's easier to learn.
“Society has changed. We want things to be easy. No one spends hours playing against a wall to perfect their shots anymore.
“Football has evolved its rules. After the era of catenaccio [a defensive system first pioneered in Italy], the back-pass to the goalkeeper was banned, and the game became more offensive. This is an example from which tennis should learn.”