There, the German was trained by the former successful coach and uncle of the 22-time Grand Slam winner, Toni Nadal. Rafael Nadal also took part in some training sessions and met Zverev for dinner, the German reports at “Nothing Major”.
An experience that visibly inspired him: “I loved the week. I really enjoyed it,” he says. “The intensity with which Rafa played is the intensity with which he also coaches,” Zverev describes his conversations with Rafael Nadal. Her dinner would have taken part in the night and Nadal got up in the middle to demonstrate for priority techniques. “I was so grateful to him,” says Zverev. “He doesn’t have to do that, he is Rafael Nadal.”
The most valuable advice that Nadal gave him was that he had to take his fate into his own hands in the decisive moments on the pitch, Zverev reports. His passivity in crucial situations is indeed a frequently criticized part of his game. Accordingly, Zverev says: “I know that too.” But hearing this analysis of someone like Nadal was special. “He really believes that I can win a Grand Slam. He told me a million times. But only if I get braver.”
The enthusiasm for the advice of the tennis legend and his successful coaching on the trainer is clearly noticeable in the conversation. A few weeks ago, the world number of world rankings against the advice of looking for a new trainer had fought out.
After his quarter -final defeat at the French Open against Novak Djoković, Boris Becker had suggested him to complement the team to his previous coach, father Alexander Senior, and brother Mischa. “You have the impression that he plays against the top players in the same trott and hopes that the result will be good,” Becker said at the time. Zverev’s father and brother had done a good job, “but it wasn’t good enough for the last step”.