Toni Nadal believes Alexander Zverev is a better player than Stan Wawrinka.
The Spanish coach, who briefly worked with Zverev at the Rafa Nadal Academy last year, offered this opinion while speaking on Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
Zverev, who recently won his maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open, has a clear statistical advantage over Wawrinka in terms of ATP tournaments won.
Who do you think was a better player: Alexander Zverev or Stan Wawrinka? 🤔
However, the peaks of Stan Wawrinka’s career far outshine those of Alexander Zverev’s.
Stan Wawrinka was a better player than Alexander Zverev
When looking at the numbers, one would naturally conclude that Alexander Zverev is a better player than Stan Wawrinka.
Zverev has won 25 titles to Wawrinka’s 16 – and the German has won seven Masters 1000 titles to Wawrinka’s one.
Zverev has also won two ATP Finals titles, while Wawrinka has zero to his name.
However, Wawrinka’s peak as a tennis player was higher than anything we have witnessed from Alexander Zverev to date.
Wawrinka saved his best tennis for the big occasion, triumphing in all three of his appearances in Grand Slam finals.
In fact, of all the ATP players who have won three Grand Slam singles in history, Stan Wawrinka is the only one to have defeated the world number one in the final on all three occasions.
Wawrinka defeated Rafael Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open final, and Novak Djokovic in the finals of Roland Garros 2015 and US Open 2016.
Meanwhile, Zverev has often floundered in the biggest moments, failing to produce his best tennis when the stakes were high.
The 29-year-old has lost three of his four Grand Slam final appearances, surrendering significant leads in two of those three final losses.
- 2020 US Open: Dominic Thiem defeated Alexander Zverev 2–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6
- 2024 Roland Garros: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1, 6–2
- 2025 Australian Open: Jannik Sinner defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3
- 2026 Roland Garros: Alexander Zverev defeated Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1
Zverev finally leapt over the Grand Slam hurdle last Sunday, defeating 10th seed Flavio Cobolli in a five-set thriller.
In what was a nervous affair, Zverev maintained his composure to clinch the contest 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.
However, Sunday’s contest was far from a display of otherworldly tennis; rather, it was an affair full of awry shot-making in the biggest moments.
The simple truth is, Stan Wawrinka’s level in the biggest moments was far superior to anything we’ve seen from Alexander Zverev.
Wawrinka has always shone in the big moment; and the very nature of tennis – like any sport – concerns those big moments.
What did Stan Wawrinka say after winning his final Grand Slam title?
Wawrinka secured his third and final Grand Slam title in 2016, beating world number one Novak Djokovic in the final.
After three hours and 23 minutes, Wawrinka secured a 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 victory in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I don’t know what’s happening right now. Novak, you’re a great champion,” Wawrinka said after the match.
“We know each other since many, many years. I had the chance to practise with him and play him in big matches. This is amazing. I came here not expecting to win it, but I was trying to win every match.
“I am completely empty. I had to bring everything today.”
“I cannot tell you that [about their exchange at the net]. It was a friendly chat. Congratulations Stan,” Djokovic said afterwards.
“You were the more courageous player in the decisive moment and you deserved to win this title. He was the better player, tougher mentally.
“It was a fantastic couple of weeks for me. I didn’t know if I should come a few weeks before because I suffered physically.”
Who is now the best active ATP player without a Grand Slam title after Alexander Zverev’s French Open victory?
Wawrinka will make his final appearance at the 2026 US Open ahead of his retirement at the end of this year.
The three-time major champion is set to make his final ATP appearance at the Swiss Indoors event in October.
