Alexander Zverev recently utilized the facilities at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca to fine-tune his game for the upcoming North American summer hard-court swing. The German, currently ranked World No. 2, is preparing for high-profile events including the Canadian Open and the US Open. On Saturday, August 1, Zverev shared an Instagram post featuring a reel of his practice sessions, captioning it to confirm his preparation was complete and expressing gratitude to the academy.
The post drew rare and supportive responses from the Nadal family. Rafael Nadal, the 22-time major champion who retired at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, commented that it was a pleasure to have him. Maribel Nadal, the academy’s Deputy General Director, also reached out to the German player, expressing hope for his return to the facility soon.
Zverev’s recent professional campaign saw him reach the final of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, where he suffered a four-set defeat to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. While the result marked his fourth loss in five major final appearances, it remains his best-ever finish at the grass-court Grand Slam.
Reflecting on his development, Zverev previously shared insights on the mentorship he received from the Spanish legend. During a 2025 appearance on the Nothing Major podcast—co-hosted by former ATP stars John Isner, Jack Sock, Sam Querrey, and Steve Johnson—Zverev revealed that Nadal had repeatedly advised him to play with more bravery. According to Zverev, Nadal encouraged him to be more aggressive in crucial moments, noting that playing defensively often made him vulnerable and one-dimensional.
Looking ahead, Zverev is set to compete as the top seed at the 2026 Canadian Open, given the absence of Jannik Sinner. Having received a first-round bye, he is scheduled to begin his tournament in the second round against either Lorenzo Sonego or Tallon Griekspoor.
2 captioned the post:"Summer swing prep done ✅ Big thanks to @rafanadalacademy for having me 🙌🏼🔥➡️ Canada/US next 🎾🇨🇦🇺🇸" View this post on Instagram Instagram PostLater, 22-time singles major champion Rafael Nadal, who retired at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, entered the comments and wrote:"It was a pleasure!
Thanks for coming 🤗"Nadal & sister Maribel's comments on Zverev's Instagram post (Source: Instagram/alexzverev123)Alexander Zverev's most recent outing came at this year's Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the final before suffering a four-set loss to reigning World No.
