By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, June 13, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Toni Nadal has spent his coaching career focused on the tennis ball not a crystal ball.
Still, watching an “exceptional” Carlos Alcaraz out-duel world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the longest Roland Garros final in history compels Toni Nadal to a powerful conclusion: Alcaraz has the skills to match—and perhaps surpass—King of Clay Rafael Nadal’s career.
Toni Nadal, uncle and original coach of Rafa Nadal, met Spanish media at “The Battle Of Stars” celebrity golf pro-am in Mallorca on Thursday.
Uncle Toni cites a few reasons why he believes Alcaraz can achieve a career similar to 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal: the reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner is exceptionally skilled, an explosive athlete—and for now the 22-year-old Spaniard’s primary rival is Sinner whereas Rafa Nadal had to confront two fellow legends in Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
“[Carlitos] is an exceptional player who has all the [skills] in the world,” Toni Nadal told Spanish media in comments published by AS.com. He’s the fastest, he hits it very hard, he hits it well with a drive, with a backhand, the serve has improved a lot…
“I see him as a great player and on top of that I think he has an advantage, today he doesn’t have the best Federer or the best Djokovic as rivals. He has a very good one which is Jannik Sinner, but I think the others for him are quite [manageable].”
During the record-setting five hour, 29-minute Roland Garros final on Sunday, TNT analyst and Hall of Famer John McEnroe created controversy—and sparked some backlash from Rafa Nation— declaring the stratospheric level both Alcaraz and Sinner produced would beat prime Nadal in a hypothetical RG final.
“You took a look at them bringing their A-game right now — I’m saying Sinner and Alcaraz against Nadal on clay — you would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favored to beat Nadal, at his best,” McEnroe said. “Do I think they’re going to reach, 20, 24 titles either one of them?
“No. Because I think that plateau is so hard it’s almost impossible; there’s more depth in the game, bigger hitters, and more things happen.”
Toni Nadal took his analysis a step further than McEnroe saying Alcaraz, if healthy, can match and perhaps “surpass” his Olympic doubles partner’s career.
“I am not a fortune teller, but he has the [skills] to surpass [Rafa Nadal],” Toni Nadal said.
