Toni Nadal has said he told Alexander Zverev that he has to “accept” Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are stronger than him, while also singling out Rafael Jodar as the “best of the new generation” at a recent speaking event.

With Sinner having withdrawn from the upcoming US Open, Zverev will go into the final Grand Slam of the season as the top seed. The timing gives the German a clear opening in New York, especially after a 2026 stretch that has already included his first major title at the French Open. He also returned to the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time a few weeks later, before falling to Sinner in a tight final.

In that context, Zverev arrives with results that place him among the leading contenders. Yet Toni Nadal, speaking in an interview for Men’s Health, described a different sort of challenge, one rooted in mentality as much as form. The long-time coach, who guided Rafael Nadal from the age of three, said the key is to keep competing even when the odds are against you.

“There are two players who are extraordinary, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but I think the others have lost faith a bit,” suggested Nadal.

“I advised Alexander Zverev that you have to accept that they are a little above him, but I gave him the case that, with Rafael -his nephew-, Federer and Djokovic above their rivals, Andy Murray won three Grand Slams and Stan Wawrinka won another three. We have to go for it.

“We both know that when you go out to play against Alcaraz or Sinner you will be less likely to win, but fight and try to be present all the time; and, in the end, you’ll likely have your reward. I can’t guarantee it, but obviously, if you try to do things well, knowing the difficulty, you will be able to achieve it.

“David Ferrer never gave up and neither did Murray when he fought Federer. He lost more times, yes; but he didn’t give up before leaving.”

Zverev’s recent form has been uneven, with a first-match exit in Toronto against Tallon Griekspoor followed by a fourth-round loss in Cincinnati to Tommy Paul.

Toni Nadal also turned to the emergence of Jodar, offering a rare assessment of the Spanish teenager’s rise after a breakthrough 2026 season that included a first ATP title in Marakeech, quarter-final runs at the French Open and Madrid Open, and a semi-final appearance at the recent Canadian Masters. The 19-year-old began 2025 ranked No 895 and has climbed to a career-high No 11.

“I am liking Rafael Jódar a lot because of what I have seen. It seems to me that it is the best of the new generation,” analysed Nadal.

“He is 19 years old and has burst onto the circuit very strongly. He’s a guy who, in a short time, has gone from being an unknown and playing in satellites or tournaments prior to the professional circuit, to beating a Top 10 player and giving Sinner a fight.

“I don’t think he’s an Alcaraz, I don’t think he’s as good as him, but I think he’s going to put the best in the world in trouble because he’s a brave guy in difficult moments. All this can lead him to achieve great goals.”

Jannik Sinner has been told that any setback in his current knee problem could bring his 2026 season to an early close, with one Italian voice warning that the situation should act as a lesson to the rest of the tour.

On Friday, Sinner confirmed he would miss the season’s final Grand Slam because of an ongoing “right knee issue”. The announcement came only five weeks after he successfully defended his Wimbledon title, defeating Alexander Zverev in four sets.

Given his 44-3 record, he would have entered the New York event as a leading contender. Yet his latest withdrawal also follows the physical problem that ended his French Open hopes in Paris. There, after moving to a commanding lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, he eventually lost in five sets.

Before that setback, Sinner had made history by becoming the first man to win the first five Masters 1000 events of the season. He was also only the second man to sweep all three clay Masters 1000 tournaments, following Rafael Nadal in 2010 before Nadal went on to win the French Open.

Former world No 12 and commentator Paolo Bertolucci gave a frank assessment of the situation.

“Undoubtedly, the grind Sinner put in this year, which led to winning 5 consecutive Masters 1000s, from Indian Wells to Rome via Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid, must have left some aftereffects,” he said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

He added: “You can’t show up at this level if the previous issue hasn’t been resolved. A potential relapse, in fact, would be disastrous and could even lead to an early end to the 2026 season.

“So, you have to tread carefully, do the right things, not let yourself be driven by the anxiety to return at all costs.

“There’s a very fine line that absolutely must not be crossed. It costs Sinner and his team a lot to say no to the US Open, but it’s a no that comes at the end of a precise journey.”

Sinner has played nine tournaments this season and remains top of the Live ATP Rankings on 12,800 points, a total that will drop to 11,500 after the US Open. Zverev, currently 3810 points behind, cannot overtake him even if he wins his first US Open title.

Bertolucci said the case should be taken as a wider warning about scheduling, arguing that players cannot keep pushing week after week simply because results are going well.

Sinner is expected to return at the Beijing Open, scheduled for September 30 to October 6.

Jannik Sinner’s time away from the ATP Tour has now been pushed out by at least another month after injury forced him to withdraw from the US Open. The world No 1 has not played competitively since Wimbledon, with his most recent match coming on 12 July, when he beat Alexander Zverev in the final at the All England Club to successfully defend his grass-court Grand Slam title.

Sinner had originally been pencilled in for a comeback at the Canadian Open, but he stepped away from the ATP Masters 1000 event and said he needed to “prioritise his health”. In his statement, he explained: “After carefully considering all the factors together with my team, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal. It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritise my health.”

No injury was mentioned at that stage, though he was later seen wearing a knee brace in practice, which only heightened concern over his availability for the North American hard-court swing. Soon after, he also confirmed he would miss the Cincinnati Open. “My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet.

“I’m very disappointed not to be able to play in Cincinnati. I can’t wait to be back next year and I’m now focusing on getting ready for the US Open.”

That was followed by the latest setback, with Sinner pulling out of Flushing Meadows because of the same knee issue. “We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realised that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue,” he said. “I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart.”

Sinner has played only nine tournaments in 2026 so far. His remaining schedule currently points to Beijing in September, where he is set to defend his China Open title at the ATP 500 event starting on 28 September. If he delays his return further, Shanghai could be next on 5 October, followed by possible appearances in Vienna or Basel, both of which begin on 26 October. The season ends with the ATP Finals in Turin on 16 November, where he defended his title last year by beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final.