Tony Nadal is coming out of retirement? Zverev: I'm working hard to persuade him to coach me.

Following Wimbledon, Zverev shared details about his time with Nadal's uncle and long-time coach, Toni Nadal. Prior to his trip to Canada for competition, Zverev spent more than a week with Toni in Mallorca, suggesting that a partnership might be on the horizon.

This three-time Grand Slam runner-up and former world number two started the 2025 season in strong form, reaching the Australian Open final but failing to win the title; he was eliminated in the Round of 16 at the Madrid Masters and received a warning from the umpire for marking the court after misunderstanding an Hawk-Eye call; he once again aimed for the title at the French Open but fell short against Djokovic in a four-set battle.

After a quick end to his Wimbledon journey, Zverev was sitting at the airport when he suddenly received an interesting text message. The sender? None other than Nadal's uncle and long-time coach—Toni Nadal. “He sent me a very long voice message, and then I said, ‘Can we have a phone call?’ We ended up talking for about an hour and a half,” Zverev said in an interview. “It was a wonderful conversation where we discussed tennis, life, and many other things.”

After the call, Zverev quickly expressed his desire to visit “Uncle Toni” in person, and the Spaniard gladly agreed. “I went there and met him; it was a wonderful ten days,” Zverev recalled. “I really enjoyed that time and am very grateful to him and Rafa for their hospitality and welcome; it was truly a fantastic experience.”

Following their phone conversation, he traveled to Mallorca, where he spent ten days training with Toni and absorbing a wealth of experience.

“I went there and met him; it was a wonderful ten days,” Zverev stated. “I’m trying to persuade him to join me for a few more weeks of tournaments, but he is a very busy person and already has a lot scheduled this year, so I’m not sure how often you’ll see him this season.”

Zverev also discussed the possibility of a long-term collaboration with Coach Toni, but nothing has been confirmed yet. His current main coach remains his father, although he has briefly worked with Ferrer, Lendl, and Ferrero in the past.

Toni Nadal currently has a busy schedule with various activities and speaking engagements. In this regard, Zverev added, “However, we are indeed discussing what a potential collaboration might look like, and it will be clearer then. But one thing is for sure; I had a great time there.”

Zverev is known for continuing to practice on the court after matches, so naturally, he feels very excited to learn from someone as experienced as Nadal.

“I believe that at this stage of my career, the most important thing is to win matches, maximize my abilities, and reach my full potential,” Zverev said. “I trust my team and believe that Toni excels in this area, particularly in uncovering a player's potential. Of course, he has worked with Rafa—I would never compare myself to Rafa—but if he can help me maximize my abilities and develop my potential, I believe I can achieve even more success in my career.”

Zverev's current tour record stands at 498 wins and 212 losses, just two victories shy of reaching 500 career tour wins. However, these achievements won’t make him complacent. Zverev praised “Uncle Toni” not only for his excellent on-court guidance but also for the significant support he provides off the court.

“I think he has a way of instilling great confidence in people because when he speaks, and when Rafa speaks, you listen closely,” Zverev remarked. “They have indeed spent a lot of time talking with me and provided me with valuable insights. Rafa also gave me feedback from his perspective, both as my opponent and now as a spectator observing my play. This has been very helpful for me. We talked a lot, sometimes over dinner until after midnight. So being there was really great.”

Zverev hopes to apply the experiences he gained in Mallorca to the tournament in Toronto—where he is the top seed for this Masters event. He will face Australian player Adam Walton in the first round. “I’m happy to be here,” Zverev said. “I’m looking forward to competing again; I believe this brief summer break has been extremely important for me.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Huohua)