June 3, 2022; Paris, France; Alexander Zverev (GER) shakes hands with Chair Umpire, Renault Lichtenstein after having to retire from his semifinal match against Rafael Nadal (ESP) on day 13 of the French Open at Stade Roland-Garros.

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‘You Can Win a Grand Slam If..’ – Alexander Zverev Reveals Rafael Nadal’s Advice to Him in Mallorca Link-Up

Zverev has fallen short at the final hurdle at the majors on three occasions.

For an extended period of time, World No. 3 Alexander Zverev has been labelled as one of the best players to never win a Grand Slam title. The German has also been undergoing a dry patch since reaching the final of the Australian Open in early 2025. Zverev admitted that in the aftermath of Melbourne Park, he suffered a burnout and there was lack of motivation to compete. Appearing on the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast, the 28-year-old also delved deeper into his recent link-up with Rafael Nadal and uncle Toni in Mallorca.

The internet practically exploded when clips of Toni Nadal coaching ‘Sascha’ emerged in the past fortnight. While several reports claimed that the legendary former coach of Nadal will join Zverev’s team, the German revealed that it is unlikely that fans will see a lot of the Toni Nadal-Alexander Zverev partnership this year. However, he left the door ajar regarding a potential partnership in 2026.

"I went there, it was an amazing 10 days (at the Rafa Nadal Academy). Rafa and Toni spent a lot of hours talking to me, they gave me some great insight. We're talking (with Toni) about what a potential partnership could look like." 👀

Alexander Zverev 💬, in Toronto pic.twitter.com/AoK0r0Jiyv
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) July 29, 2025

Zverev started the season with a terrific run to the Australian Open final. However, he suffered a massive straight sets defeat at the hands of World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. After a series of mediocre outings, the World No. 3 won the title in Munich. Despite accumulating some consistent results, Zverev stated that he was far from happy on court, and not pleased with the level of tennis. Whether or not he can turn things around in the final stretch of the campaign, remains to be seen.

‘Rafael Nadal Asked Me to Be More Brave’: Alexander Zverev

Speaking with John Isner, Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey regarding his quick stop at Mallorca, Alexander Zverev revealed all. The three-time Grand Slam finalist took a break after losing in the first round at Wimbledon – citing mental fatigue and burnout. He self-admittedly used the break to spend time with his family and friends, and also recharge for the remainder of the season. He thanked 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal for spending time with him in Spain, and also revealed the 39-year-old’s advice to him.

“He told me during the week, I don’t know how many times, [that] I need to be more brave. I need to take it on in the most important moments. And I know that, but hearing it from someone like him…” During the course of their careers, Nadal held a superior 7-4 head-to-head record against Zverev. This includes a famous win at the French Open, where a tragic ankle injury brought about the end to one of the highest quality clay court matches in recent times.

“When I kind of become more passive – that’s when I’m more beatable for the top guys. He [Nadal] truly believes, and I believe him, that I can win a Grand Slam. He told me that a million times. But only if I become more brave, and if I take it onto myself to do that.” The former World No. 2 also reinstated that he will be ready to reach his topmost level by the time the US Open 2025 comes around.

(Image Credits: Susan Mullane, Imagn Images)

Alexander Zverev

ATP

Australian Open

Rafael Nadal

Roland Garros

Tennis

Toni Nadal

US Open

Wimbledon

Sankalp Harikrishnan

A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.