2017 was certainly an annus mirabilis for Rafael Nadal as he ascended back to the top of the tennis rankings after an injury-blighted campaign the previous year.

More importantly for his legacy, he claimed two further grand slam titles, lifting him to a career total of 16, just three shy of his great rival Roger Federer.

However, as the 31-year-old Spaniard arrives in Melbourne to attempt to add this year's Australian Open to his enviable grand slam collection, there will be one major difference as for the first time in his career he will not have his Uncle Toni Nadal sitting stoically in his corner.

The 56-year-old had coached Nadal throughout his career and the pair enjoyed remarkable success since a teenage Rafa burst onto the tennis scene a decade and a half ago. He, however, decided to step back at the end of last year to hand the reins over to former World No 1 Carlos Moya, a childhood hero of Nadal's.

The elder Nadal though has revealed the two major regrets of a partnership that also brought 30 Masters Series titles and two Olympic golds.

He is still haunted by defeats suffered by Rafa to Robin Soderling at the 2009 French Open and to Novak Djokovic in the epic 2012 Australian Open Final.

His stunning defeat to the unfancied Soderling at Roland Garros was his first ever on the famed clay courts of Paris.

Considered practically unbeatable on the red clay, it was one of the greatest shocks in tennis history.  An agonizing defeat to Djokovic in a final that lasted almost six hours in Melbourne was equally galling for the Nadal camp.

"We've had quite a few hard moments,” he told Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, as per The Express.

“What happens is that I always knew that adversity is part of life and I sensed that we would have difficulties, but I never made a drama neither of the difficulties nor of the defeats.

“There are defeats that hurt a lot.

“The most painful for me was against Djokovic in Australia 2012, also that of Soderling in Roland Garros in 2009.”

Toni Nadal may have retired from the hot seat but there is no doubt Rafa will have no more passionate fan than his Uncle once proceedings get underway in Melbourne next week.