Rafael Nadal splits from long-time coach uncle Toni Nadal

Rafael Nadal

Rome: Rafael Nadal's coach and uncle Toni Nadal has said he will no longer accompany the tennis great on tour, complaining that he is being shut out of decision-making. "From next year I will no longer follow Rafael on the circuit and I will focus exclusively on our (tennis) academy," he was quoted as saying on the Italian website tennisitaliano.it.

Tony Nadal

"Relations with my nephew are still excellent. During all these years, we have never been through a crisis," he said.

"Until he was 17-years-old, it was me who decided everything. Then Carlos Costa arrived as manager. Then his father became closer, each having his opinions. And the truth is that every year I had less decision-making, until the day when I will decide on nothing," he added.

Spain's Carlos Moya joined the Nadal coaching team at the end of last year. "Moya is a person that I practised with during almost all my career since I was 15 until he retired," Nadal had said earlier.