Rafael Nadal makes surprise claim about Uncle Toni's return as coach

• Toni Nadal and his nephew parted ways after last year's ATP Tour Finals.
• The 57-year-old had worked with Nadal since the Spanish tennis star was three.
• Nadal is currently working with former world number one Carlos Moya.

World number one tennis star Rafael Nadal has said he is open to having uncle Toni Nadal back as coach while maintaining he is "happy" with his current team.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion revealed Toni is still very much part of his career despite not being "in the day by day life".

The 57-year-old was honored by Barcelona Open organizers for his contribution to the ATP 500 tournament Wednesday, April 25. Uncle Toni took tennis fans down the memory lane as he returned to Nadal's box after nearly a five-month hiatus during the Round of 16 encounter.

Notably, Toni had quit Nadal's coaching team after his nephew pulled out of ATP World Tour Finals in 2017, thereby ending a 27-year-old association that saw the Spanish ace win 16 Grand Slam titles, including 10 Roland Garros crowns.

Toni had moved on to take care of coaching duties at the tennis star's academy in Mallorca.

No one knows my game better than Toni: Nadal

"He is always an help, I am happy with my current team, but no one knows my game better than Toni. When he says he would love to come back if I ask to...I never asked him to leave," Nadal said, as quoted by Tennis World USA.

"He knows that he will always be more than welcome. He can head to all the events he wants," the Spaniard added.

"He isn't in the day by day (life), but he didn't leave neither. He is here, in Mallorca he comes to training sessions and he knows that I am happy of it."

Toni insisted that he would as well be open to returning to Nadal's coaching team, if the latter needed him.

"If Rafael needed me, of course I would go. I left because I understood that my contribution was small, I understood that I could do a more productive job for the academy," Toni was quoted as saying by Daily Express.

Nadal has continued his association with Carlos Moya, who joined the numero uno's coaching team in 2016.

Meanwhile, the Spaniard extended his Open Era record of winning consecutive sets on clay-court to 40 when he demolished compatriot Garcia-Lopez in the Round of 16 match Saturday.

He will be facing Novak Djokovic-slayer Martin Klizan in the quarter-final Friday, April 27. The 10-time champion, who won a record-setting 11th title at Monte Carlo last week, is favorite to continue his unbeaten run and finish on the top step of the podium yet again in Barcelona.