Boris Becker has now responded to Toni Nadal after he made comments about his compatriot.
Becker has been linked with becoming Alexander Zverev’s coach in the past, having worked with his fellow German before, but never on a full-time basis.
However, that does not appear to be happening anytime soon, after Zverev responded to Becker’s criticism of him in a strong manner.
Becker is not the only big name who has been linked with coaching the three-time Grand Slam finalist, with Rafael Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal also rumored to have been working with Zverev.
Toni Nadal made a big claim about Zverev after his Australian Open semifinal defeat, and Becker has now responded.
Boris Becker responds to Toni Nadal’s controversial Alexander Zverev comments
Following Zverev’s five set defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open, Toni Nadal claimed that he had a ‘mental problem’ when speaking to Radio Estadio.
However, Nadal also suggested that Zverev was also the only player who could challenge Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, claiming that he is ‘clearly better’ than Novak Djokovic, who Becker has also coached.
“Zverev, yes, I said it, I don’t know if you remember… I said, ‘Well, if Zverev plays well’,” Nadal said when asked about who could challenge Alcaraz and Sinner. “But Zverev has a mental problem. He has an obsession with winning.
“Zverev had the match, he had the chance to win the second set, and when he served to win, he got broken. And his best shot is his serve. He comes back to win the match in the fifth, when he serves to close out the match and again… fails at that moment.
“So he’s a dangerous rival and, for me, he’s clearly better than Djokovic is today, but he lacks… the… if he, if Zverev had won that match today, he probably would have won the final too. It would change him because it gives you extra confidence and takes away the pressure he has to win a Grand Slam.”
These comments from Nadal have gathered quite a lot of traction on social media, with even Becker now giving his verdict.
While he did not necessarily say he agreed with everything Nadal had said about Zverev, Becker spoke about the respect he had for the Spaniard.
Becker wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Toni is always very outspoken with interesting ideas! I always have lots of respect for him!”
These were not the only comments that were made by Nadal, who also criticised Alcaraz for what he did after the Australian Open final.
Has Alexander Zverev just blown his last chance to win a Grand Slam?
When will Alexander Zverev play next after withdrawal from Rotterdam?
While all of this noise is currently going on around Zverev, he has made a big decision of his own after withdrawing from the Rotterdam Open.
Zverev cited ankle problems as his reason for pulling out of the tournament, which have been a recurring issue for the German.
The world number four is not the only big name to have withdrawn from the Rotterdam Open this year, with Alcaraz also pulling out, leaving two-time finalist Alex de Minaur as the top seed.
Where will Alexander Zverev finish 2026 ranked?
Zverev will now have a couple of weeks to recover from any physical issues he is having, before heading to North America.
This will see him begin at the Mexican Open in Acapulco, where Zverev won the title in 2021.
Zverev will then compete at the first Masters 1000 tournament of the year at Indian Wells, before completing the sunshine double at the Miami Open.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
