"Novak Djokovic is No. 1 in the world, but that is because Rafael Nadal didn't play much last season" - Toni Nadal

In a recent interview, Rafael Nadal's uncle and former coach Toni Nadal talked about the ranking situation prevailing in the men's game currently. Toni believes that while Novak Djokovic is the World No. 1 player right now, things may have been different if his nephew had played a full schedule in 2021.

"Today, Djokovic is No. 1 in the world, but that is because Rafa did not play much last season," Toni said.

Rafael Nadal suffered a foot injury at Roland Garros last year and could feature in only seven tournaments all season. He was forced to withdraw from several big events, including Wimbledon, Tokyo Olympics and the US Open.

However, the Spaniard made an incredible comeback at the 2022 Australian Open and won his 21st Major title there. That nudged him ahead of both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the all-time Grand Slam race.

Nadal is ranked No. 5 in the world right now, and is 4,000 points behind Djokovic. It is debatable whether he'd have been able to make up that gap even if he had played without any breaks last year.

Toni Nadal also spoke about the GOAT debate, pointing out how his nephew has suffered because of his frequent injuries. The 60-year-old went on to add, however, that despite the injuries Nadal is not too far behind Djokovic and Federer.

"It is very difficult today to say who is the best," Toni said. "Is it the one who manages to play at the highest level, the one who has the Grand Slam record, or the one who has the most titles?"

"If Rafa hadn't been so injured, he would have been the first," Toni added. "But I don't think it separates him much from Djokovic and Federer."

Rafael Nadal and Toni Nadal are among the most successful player-coach pairs in the history of tennis, having won 16 Grand Slam titles together. The two parted ways in 2017.

Rafael Nadal likley to feature at the Acupulco Open next

Rafael Nadal with the Australian Open 2022 title

After his Australian Open glory, Rafael Nadal is likely to return to the court at the 2022 Acupulco Open. The ATP 500 event will also feature stars like Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini and Alexander Zverev.

The Acupulco Open, played on outdoor hardcourts, will kick off on 21 February 2022.

Having already won the tournament thrice in his career, Nadal will be looking to bag a record-equaling fourth title this year. As of now, both David Ferrer and Thomas Muster have won the tournament on four occasions each.

Rafael Nadal is currently on a 11-match winning streak, having already won two titles in the 2022 tennis season.