Coach and uncle Toni announces split from player

pulse 15:15 - 11 February 2017

Toni Nadal (bottom R), uncle and coach of Spain's Rafael Nadal, watches him play against Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov during their Australian Open semi-final in Melbourne on January 27, 2017

Rafael Nadals coach and uncle Toni Nadal has said he will no longer accompany the tennis great on tour, claiming 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.

"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."

Spain's Carlos Moya joined the Nadal coaching team at the end of last year.