Alexander Zverev has arrived in Montréal for the 2026 Canadian Open after preparing for the North American hardcourt swing at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca. Ahead of his campaign, the world No. 2 received warm messages from Nadal and his sister, Maribel, after enjoying their hospitality during his training stint.
Alexander Zverev Welcomes Rafael Nadal’s Advice on His Game
Zverev fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a Grand Slam champion at the French Open this year. He followed up his triumph by reaching the Wimbledon final, where he fell short of completing the Channel Slam after losing to Jannik Sinner in the title clash.
After his runner-up finish at the All England Club, the world No. 2 traveled to Spain for a well-deserved vacation. He was spotted spending time with Nadal during a boat trip in Ibiza before enjoying his girlfriend Sophia Thomalla’s company as he continued to unwind.
Subsequently, Zverev ramped up his training for the North American hardcourt swing at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, acknowledging that practicing at the academy helped him acclimate to the heat he expects to encounter in the United States.
“I love Mallorca in general, it’s just a great island to be. I think in the summer especially, it’s great preparation. You know you have a lot of heat here, which you will need in America as well. And the facilities, they’re incredible. I think it’s quite obviously one of the best academies in the world. But you can also have privacy here, which is very nice for me and I enjoy coming back here,” Zverev said.
During his stay, Zverev also credited Nadal and his uncle Toni for their valuable advice, saying he particularly appreciated the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s insight on areas of improvement in his game.
“It’s a great help. Uncle Toni was on the court quite a lot with us. Rafa also came twice. It’s great to hear what their opinion is about my game. I’ve been playing against Rafa for 10 years, so it’s nice to hear from him from a competitive standpoint, but also what he thinks I can improve in my game. I still want to improve every single day. So, I think it was a great help to have him on the court,” he added.
The 29-year-old later documented his preparations on Instagram and extended his gratitude to the academy for the hospitality.
“Summer swing prep done ✅ Big thanks to @rafanadalacademy for having me 🙌🏼🔥 ➡️ Canada/US next 🎾🇨🇦🇺🇸,” he captioned his Instagram post.
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Rafael Nadal and his sister, Maribel, both shared heartwarming messages for Zverev in the comments.
“It was a pleasure! Thanks for coming! 👏,” Nadal commented.
“Hope to see you soon here! Thanks for coming 🤗,” Maribel wrote.
Zverev has since touched down in Montréal and begun gearing up for his campaign at the tournament venue.
MORE: Canadian Open ATP Montréal Draw Featuring Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev Emerges
With Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic all absent from the Canadian Open draw, top seed Alexander Zverev is the favorite to clinch the ATP Masters 1000 title in Montréal. Following a first-round bye, the German will face either Lorenzo Sonego or Tallon Griekspoor in his opening match.
