After a stunning Wimbledon first-round loss last year, Alexander Zverev revealed he had tried convincing Toni Nadal to join his team officially, only for the Spaniard to decline because of prior commitments. That early exit proved to be an unexpected turning point, as Nadal reached out with a message and the pair spent an impactful 10 days together, guidance that later fueled Zverev’s run to the Cincinnati Masters SF. Now, the same Nadal has reflected on the challenges Zverev faced—Grand Slam heartbreaks, a career-threatening ankle injury, and daily demands of Type 1 diabetes—before claiming his maiden Grand Slam title in Paris, before sharing the example of Stan Wawrinka to inspire him.

“Wawrinka, who is a less good player than you, has won three Grand Slam tournaments. Why shouldn’t you have your chance?” Nadal said on Onda Cero’s Radioestadio, sharing the conversation he had with Zverev when the German was with him last year.

Nadal’s assessment of Wawrinka comes from his inconsistency and the fact that the “Big Three” overshadowed him. Still, many fans may view that comparison differently, given what the 41-year-old Swiss achieved throughout his career.

Stan the Man’s extraordinary legacy comprises 19 ATP titles overall, including 16 singles titles and three doubles trophies. Add three Grand Slams to that: the 2014 AO, the 2015 Roland Garros, and the 2016 US Open. The Swiss also claimed Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics alongside Roger Federer, all while competing during the peak years of the “Big Three” era.

Although Zverev’s trophy collection may have surpassed Wawrinka’s, the Swiss star’s elegant one-handed backhand and remarkable longevity are qualities fans continue to admire. 

Coming back to Zverev, Rafa’s former coach wanted him to work on his outlook: “What you need to do is change your attitude. You have to try not to be negative.”

The 65-year-old gave Zverev a harsh reality check: “Listen, Alcaraz and Sinner are better than you. You have to accept it, but they are not 365 days a year. On days when they’re not at their best, you have to make the effort to be up to it.”

But the German listened to him and did exactly that when the Spaniard was sidelined in this year’s French Open because of a wrist injury. His absence immediately changed the complexion of the tournament draw.

Meanwhile, the Italian top seed arrived in Paris as one of the overwhelming favorites. The 24-year-old entered the event carrying a remarkable 29-match winning streak and already had five back-to-back Masters titles to his name.

However, he failed to maintain that momentum during his second-round clash against Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Despite comfortably winning the opening two sets, he ultimately suffered a shock defeat.

Novak Djokovic also endured a major upset during the tournament. Joao Fonseca eliminated the Serbian 24-time Grand Slam champion, leaving Zverev as the highest remaining seed in the draw.

The German took full advantage of the opportunity placed before him. Eventually, the 29-year-old ended the wait for a major title by capturing the first Grand Slam crown of his career after battling for over four hours before defeating Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a thrilling five-set encounter at Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Toni Nadal claims Carlos Alcaraz faces weaker opposition than past icons of the game

Earlier this year, in January, Toni Nadal once again found himself at the center of controversy for his remarks on Carlos Alcaraz.  

“He [Alcaraz] has exceptional physical attributes, excellent technical skill, and on top of that, he’s lucky: his opponents are of a lower calibre. And I’m not saying this because I’m Rafael Nadal’s uncle – not at all. I try to be fair, but it’s clear,” Nadal added.

The former coach expanded on his reasoning. “Before, when you went out to play against [Juan] Del Potro, [Andy] Murray, or [Stan] Wawrinka, you knew you were going to suffer and that the match was going to be tough. If they had a great day, they could beat you,” Nadal told Onda Cero radio.

Until that point, following the AO, Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner had shared dominance at the Grand Slam level. The pair had split each of the previous nine major titles since the Serbian icon won the US Open in 2023.

Despite that trend, Nadal believed there was one player capable of disrupting the Sincaraz era: Zverev. “He’s the only one who could take on Alcaraz and Sinner, as long as he changes some habits in his game and his character,” he said.

Now, with Zverev finally ending his Grand Slam drought and proudly carrying the title of major champion himself, Nadal’s earlier comments have gained renewed attention. 

Comparisons between Zverev and Wawrinka continue to generate plenty of discussion among fans as the grass-court Slam at the All-England Club draws ever closer.