Zverev: "Rafa used to have dinner with me and would get up in the middle of the restaurant to show me drive techniques"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 2 Aug 2025 | 18.00

Zverev values Nadal's involvement. Photo: gettyimages

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Deep, sincere, and amusing interview that Alexander Zverev has given, where he was asked about his stay in Mallorca for a little over a week. The German is aware of the media frenzy caused by his presence at the Rafa Nadal Academy and the advisory role assumed by Toni Nadal, but what no one expected were the details he revealed about Rafael Nadal's involvement in the matter.

It's worth analyzing a calm and relaxed chat like the one Alexander Zverev had with the members of Nothing Major Podcast. The project involving Isner, Johnson, and Querrey had the German tennis player as a participant, and he was very candid, revealing interesting aspects on various matters. In this article, we will focus on his confessions about the time spent in Mallorca with Toni Nadal, as well as Rafael Nadal's involvement in an adventure that shows the love the Spaniard feels for this sport and how he stays connected to it.

- Zverev states that Toni Nadal will spend much more time with him in 2026

"I really enjoyed that week in Mallorca with Toni, and I think he also had a good time and enjoyed it. Right now, I can tell you that his schedule is packed with commitments like talks and matters related to the academy, but I believe that next year he will have a much greater presence alongside me," stated the German, hinting that his collaboration with Rafa's uncle could be much closer than just a few occasional weeks.

Perhaps what no one expected was that Alexander Zverev would speak so openly and honestly about the role Rafael Nadal played during that week in his home country. "Look, I've played many times against Rafa, we've had great battles, and I was hoping we would have dinner together while I was there. But I was very surprised by how involved he got; he didn't have to do that. It meant a lot to me that he spent hours on the court giving me advice and the intensity with which he trained me," said Sascha.

- Nadal's involvement in his training has amazed Zverev

"It was amazing to see him so involved with me on the court; it surprised me a lot, and I can never thank him enough as he deserves. Before experiencing this, I would have said that Djokovic would be the ideal coach for me if I had to choose among the members of the Big 3, as he has given me a lot of advice, and we had good conversations. But what Rafa did that week in Mallorca... We had dinners that lasted until 1 am, and in the middle of them, he would get up in the middle of the restaurant and start hitting drives to give me technical advice," stated the German player.

When asked about the aspects Rafa thought he should improve, Alexander Zverev was very clear. "I don't know how many times he told me during that week that I had to be more aggressive and brave. I know I have to do it, but hearing it from him, with whom I've played important matches... He told me that when I'm aggressive, it's very difficult to harm me, but when I'm passive, I'm vulnerable. I don't have weapons like a good drop shot or good slices, so I have to be aggressive. He told me a million times that he truly believes I can win a Grand Slam, but only if I'm more aggressive, especially in crucial moments," emphasized the German player, whose harmony with Rafael Nadal is fascinating.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Zverev: "Rafa cenaba conmigo y se levantaba en mitad del restaurante a enseñarme técnicas de drive"