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Ex-WTA Pro Wonders If Alexander Zverev is ‘Willing to Change’ While Working with Toni Nadal

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Gouri Das | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 10:04 AM ET

Alexander Zverev tried to convince Toni Nadal to become his coach. If Rafael Nadal‘s former coach indeed becomes Zverev’s coach, former player Dinara Safina wonders if Zverev will show a willingness to change his approach.

Zverev is in Toronto for the Masters 1000 Canadian Open. In the opening round, he knocked out Australia’s Adam Walton 7-6(6), 6-4 to schedule a third-round clash with Matteo Arnaldi on July 31.

The Canadian Open is Zverev’s first tournament since his Wimbledon first-round exit. Sascha battled for nearly five hours, but in the end, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech emerged triumphant. It’s the first time since the 2019 Wimbledon where the World No.3 failed to progress beyond the first round of a Grand Slam tournament.

After his exit, Zverev revealed that he had been dealing with mental health problems since his Australian Open defeat to World No.1 Jannik Sinner earlier this year. He took some time off tennis and enjoyed a vacation, but was also spotted at the Rafa Nadal Academy working with Toni.

This sparked coaching rumors, but Zverev, in his pre-tournament press conference in Toronto, said he tried to convince Toni to coach him, and at present, it’s uncertain whether Toni would join his entourage, which also consists of his father, Alexander Zverev Sr., and brother Mischa Zverev as his coaches.

It will be exciting to watch. Toni is very straightforward. I do not know how willing Alexander is to change and integrate someone else into his team. We will see. It seems to me that a lot will depend on Alexander in this collaboration, on his willingness to change, listen, and try new things.
Dinara Safina said on The Best Tennis Podcast

Under Toni, Nadal lifted 16 of his 22 Grand Slam titles. Toni ended his professional relationship with his nephew in 2017, and a few years later, he joined Canadian ace Felix Auger-Aliassime‘s team, but they parted ways in 2024.

Alexander Zverev calls the condition at the Canadian Open ridiculous

Alexander Zverev is aiming to win the Canadian Open for the second time in his career. Back in 2017, he beat 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer to take home the title.

But after playing the first match this time, he started to complain about the conditions of the court. According to the three-time Grand Slam finalist, the conditions during the day are different than those of the night, and it’s the latter that he prefers to play on.

The conditions here are, you know, very different during the day and during the night. During the day, it’s so fast. I mean, it’s ridiculous. In practice, I don’t think I’ve had longer than a four-shot rally in the past week. But at night it’s playable and it’s comfortable. Of course, it was a very important moment, a very important point for me.
Alexander Zverev said at the press conference

Zverev has met his third-round opponent, Matteo Arnaldi, once in his career and won that match (in Acapulco this year). The Italian ace is searching for his career’s first title in the tournament.

The 24-time ATP singles titlist is chasing his second title of the season. He has so far played three finals: at the Australian Open, BMW Open, and the Stuttgart Open, winning only in Munich by beating Ben Shelton.

Last year on the North American hard-court swing, the 28-year-old lost to Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open, while at the Cincinnati Open, eventual champion Jannik Sinner knocked him out of the semifinals. At the US Open, Zverev lost to eventual runner-up Taylor Fritz in the last four. Zverev is a former runner-up at Flushing Meadows (2020).

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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