Alexander Zverev, the world No. 3 and one of tennis’s most tantalizing talents, stands at a crossroads in his career. Following a disheartening first-round exit at Wimbledon 2025 to Arthur Rinderknech, the 28-year-old German has turned to an unlikely source for inspiration: Toni Nadal, the legendary coach and uncle of Rafael Nadal. Zverev’s recent 10-day training stint at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, where he worked closely with Toni, has sparked speculation about a potential coaching partnership. However, former WTA world No. 1 Dinara Safina has raised a critical question about Zverev’s future, stating, “I do not know how willing Alexander is to change and integrate someone else into his team,” suggesting that the success of this collaboration hinges on Zverev’s openness to transformation.
The seeds of this partnership were sown after Wimbledon, when Toni reached out with a lengthy voice message. “It was funny, actually after Wimbledon he contacted me,” Zverev shared at the National Bank Open in Toronto, where he’s the top seed. “We spoke on the phone for about an hour and a half, and sent a few messages back and forth, and then, yeah, decided to go to Mallorca to see him.” The visit proved transformative, with Zverev describing the experience as “amazing.” Over late-night dinners and intense practice sessions, he absorbed insights not only from Toni but also from Rafael Nadal himself, who offered a unique perspective on facing Zverev on tour. “Rafa gave me a great perspective on what it’s really like to play against me,” Zverev revealed, noting the hours spent discussing tennis and life. “I think Toni enjoyed it probably as well. I’m trying to convince him to do more weeks with me.”
Zverev’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster. A finalist at the Australian Open, where he fell to Jannik Sinner, he also claimed the BMW Open title in Munich but faltered at Roland Garros against Novak Djokovic and suffered the Wimbledon upset. His candid admission of mental struggles post-Wimbledon—“I feel very alone out there at times. I struggle”—underscored a deeper challenge. Toni, who guided Rafael to 16 of his 22 Grand Slam titles, believes Zverev’s barrier is mental. “Zverev, it’s a mental problem,” he wrote in an *El Pais* column. “If he wants to win and have chances to win a Grand Slam, he needs to change a little his mentality.” Safina echoed this, emphasizing that Toni’s straightforward approach could be the key, but only if Zverev embraces change. “It will be exciting to watch,” she said on a Russian podcast. “It seems to me that a lot will depend on Alexander in this collaboration, on his willingness to change, listen, and try new things.”
A full-time partnership with Toni seems unlikely for now, given his commitments as director of the Mallorca ATP 250 and his speaking engagements. “He’s a very busy man,” Zverev acknowledged, but he remains hopeful, planning to provide updates in the coming weeks. Boris Becker, another tennis icon, sees immense potential, urging Zverev to “keep your mouth shut and just listen” when learning from the Nadals. “If it’s true that Toni Nadal is Alexander Zverev’s new coach, then he’s done everything right,” Becker said on his podcast. Yet, concerns linger about Zverev’s punctuality—a sticking point for the notoriously disciplined Toni, as noted by Becker’s co-host Andrea Petkovic.
Zverev’s career, boasting 24 ATP titles and a 2021 Olympic gold, is a testament to his talent, but his three Grand Slam final losses—2020 US Open, 2024 French Open, and 2025 Australian Open—highlight a missing piece. As he faces Matteo Arnaldi in Toronto’s third round after a 7-6(6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton, Zverev is focused on maximizing his potential. “I think at this stage for me it’s about winning, and trying to maximise what I have,” he said. Whether Toni Nadal’s guidance can help him conquer his mental hurdles and claim that elusive Grand Slam remains an open question, but for now, Zverev’s pursuit of greatness is a compelling narrative in men’s tennis.
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