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<\/p>\n Toronto
\n Inside Zverev’s time with Toni Nadal & the potential of a partnership<\/p>\n
Learn how Zverev came in contact with the Spaniard<\/p>\n
July 27, 2025<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Andrew Eichenholz\/ATP Tour<\/p>\n
Alexander Zverev is the top seed in Toronto.
\n By Andrew Eichenholz<\/p>\n
Shortly after Wimbledon, Alexander Zverev was sitting at an airport when he received an interesting message on his phone. The sender? Toni Nadal, the uncle and longtime coach of Rafael Nadal.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe sent me a very long voice message and then I said, \u2018Can we please talk?\u2019 And then we talked on the phone for about an hour and a half,\u201d Zverev told ATPTour.com. \u201cIt was such a nice conversation. It was about tennis, it was about life, it was about everything.\u201d <\/p>\n
After the conversation, Zverev quickly asked if he could visit \u2018Uncle Toni\u2019 to spend time with him and the Spaniard agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went there, I saw him and it was an amazing 10 days,\u201d Zverev recalled. \u201cI really enjoyed it and I\u2019m very thankful to him and to Rafa also for welcoming me the way I did. It was really nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
During his pre-tournament press conference at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers, Zverev detailed his time in Spain and expressed his gratitude for the Nadal family\u2019s help.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe time in Mallorca was amazing,\u201d Zverev told the assembled media. \u201cI’m trying to convince him to do more weeks with me, and we’ll see how it goes, but he’s a very busy man. Also he has a lot of dates that he already committed to this year, so I’m not sure how much of him you’ll see this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nadal is booked for various events and speaking engagements. Zverev added: \u201cBut we’re talking about what a potential partnership could look like, for sure, and I can give you an update probably in a few weeks\u2019 time when we know more. But I enjoyed my time there, that’s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
The No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is known to return to court after matches to work on his game, so it is no surprise that he was excited to learn from someone with Nadal\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think at this stage for me it’s about winning, and trying to maximise what I have, and trying to maximise what I can become,\u201d Zverev said. \u201cAgain, I think my team, but also Toni, are exceptional in that, in maximising what a player has. Of course, he was with Rafa before \u2014 which, I’m never going to compare myself to Rafa \u2014 but if he can maximise what I have, and he can maximise the potential that I have, I’m sure that I can have a lot more success in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n
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