Toni Nadal tells El Periodico that his fifth-ranked nephew Rafael is sitting in a good position to make a run at the No. 1 ranking. Nadal trails world No. 1 Novak Djokovic by about 5,000 points, but only has 90 points to defend the rest of the year.

“We are in a position to play for the top. Rafa has a considerable advantage, but everything can changes in one tournament,” he said. Whomever wins Wimbledon will take a big step.”

Toni Nadal also said that while his nephew is the best player ever on clay, if he didn’t win the French Open title this year, “it’s not the same. When you get to Roland Garros you have a lot of pressure, you come to be the world’s best on clay. If you lose Roland Garros it’s a huge disappointment. That have him a lot of pressure. Everything you have gained is worth less. Rafael had beaten David [Ferrer] many times, but it was their biggest match. If you lose it, it would be a disaster.”