Rafael Nadal has handed down some crucial advice to Alexander Zverev which could help the ATP No.3 eclipse Carlos Alcaraz in the world rankings.
14:45, Mon, Aug 4, 2025 Updated: 14:47, Mon, Aug 4, 2025
Rafael Nadal has handed out some stellar advice (Image: Getty)
Alexander Zverev has utilised some sage advice from Rafael Nadal, as he hopes to eclipse Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP rankings. Currently sitting as World No.3, the German has enjoyed a wealth of success on the courts throughout his career thus far, winning a gold medal for his country at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
However, the 28-year-old has also suffered some of the lowest lows that the sport has to offer, as evidenced by his first-round loss to Arthur Rinderknech at this year's Wimbledon which left him considering therapy. In fact, Zverev is still searching for his maiden Grand Slam title, despite making the finals of the 2020 US Open, the 2024 French Open and this year's Australian Open, where he was beaten by ATP No.1, Jannik Sinner. However, thanks to the wisdom of 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal, Zverev has been able to adapt his game and make changes as he looks to the final major of the year in this month's US Open.
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Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, he said: "It’s funny because I spent a lot of time with Toni (Nadal, Rafael's uncle and coach) and Rafa. And the number one thing Rafa told me is the difference between me, Novak (Djokovic), Rafa, and Roger (Federer).
"Of course, they are much greater than I am, much better; I’m not even going to compare myself with them. But he said that they won many more matches playing badly.
"He said that when you’re at your peak level, at the top of your game, it’s very difficult to play and you can beat anyone, but I lose many matches when I play badly and he told me I have to find a way to win those ugly matches, sometimes you win by playing badly."
Alexander Zverev has changed his mental approach (Image: Getty)
It appears as though Nadal's intuition has quickly paid off for Zverev, who has been a polar opposite of the player fans saw omitted from the first round of Wimbledon back in June at the Canadian Open in Toronto.
After securing comfortable wins over Adam Walton and Matteo Arnaldi in his opening two matches, Zverev was engaged in a mental battle for the ages during his round of 16 clash with Francisco Cerundolo.
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The Argentine went 1-3 up in the first set, as Zverev was pictured in furious conversation with his father and coach, Alexander Zverev Sr. But the star managed to regain his composure to one-up Cerundolo's tactics of sending balls down the centre of the court to shut down angles to come back and win the first set 6-4.
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Zverev then cemented his spot in the quarter-finals via a walkover of Cerundolo in the second set due to an abdominal strain. He will now take on Alexei Popyrin at midnight on Monday (UK Time) for his spot in the semis.
Elsewhere in the quarter-finals, Alex Michelsen takes on Karen Khachanov, Andrey Rublev plays Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur faces Ben Shelton.