“I don’t have an exact number of matches we should play, I can’t give an exact figure, but they obviously need to do something about the schedule,” Carlos Alcaraz once remarked, echoing a frustration shared across the ATP and WTA circuits. The sport’s relentless calendar has taken its toll, with stars like Novak Djokovic battling shoulder issues despite reaching four Grand Slam semifinals, forcing him to reconsider his year-end participation. Yet, as debates rage on, Toni Nadal, Rafael Nadal’s uncle and longtime coach, has boldly dismissed Alcaraz’s concerns, even proposing a fix.

In a candid interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian publication, Toni Nadal shared his unapologetically bold take on tennis’s growing injury crisis. When asked about the increasing complaints surrounding a compressed tour calendar, he dismissed the popular narrative outright, saying, “It’s not a question of calendar. Now, many will disagree, but the real problem is that the ball always goes too fast.” He went on to emphasize, “It is not a question of quantity, but of intensity and violence of the gesture.”

The seasoned coach then lamented the disappearance of tactical artistry once cherished in the sport. When asked why players like Federico Coria or Gastón Gaudio no longer thrive in modern tennis, Nadal explained, “Today it is often just a race to see who hits hardest. And when you make such quick gestures, when you get to a ball at full speed, brake and start again, it’s easy for the body to go to the limit and get hurt. I think we should try to slow down the game a bit.”

With decades of experience shaping one of the sport’s greatest champions, Toni Nadal didn’t stop there. He proposed a radical yet intriguing solution, adding, “I would propose playing with smaller rackets. It would be easier for amateurs and more difficult for professionals, and the game would be less violent.”

Reflecting nostalgically, he said, “When McEnroe or Nastase played, everything was there: gesture, hand, tactics. Tennis is the only sport that begins with a ‘penalty kick’: if you serve well, the opponent doesn’t play… In other disciplines, they have changed the rules to increase the spectacle.” 

And despite Toni Nadal’s composed explanation, Carlos Alcaraz’s words against scheduling echoed through locker rooms, where exhaustion and injury have become all too familiar this season.

The recently concluded Asian swing, for example, once a showcase of resilience and flair, has instead turned into a graveyard of retirements this year. The China Open alone witnessed a cascade of withdrawals, Jakub Mensik and Lorenzo Musetti on the men’s side, Lois Boisson and Camila Osorio on the women’s. Each fell victim to the grueling pace of modern tennis. Iga Swiatek, who defeated Osorio, didn’t hold back her criticism, calling the WTA calendar “crazy” and warning that she might skip mandatory events if things don’t change.

Even Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova wasn’t spared, limping off mid-match against McCartney Kessler with a painful knee injury. These were not isolated incidents but alarm bells for a sport seemingly pushing its players to the breaking point.

And now, as debates rage on, the veteran coach has expanded his thoughts, this time on the ever-growing comparison between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, two warriors shaped by entirely different eras of the same demanding sport.

Toni Nadal delivers candid take on Jannik Sinner–Novak Djokovic comparison

Earlier this year, during Wimbledon, Djokovic offered his own perspective on the constant comparisons between him and the young Italian. “I think it’s obvious in terms of the style of play that we both have, that we have quite a bit of similarities,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

Now, Toni Nadal has added his insight to the debate in the same interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. When asked if Sinner is “Djokovic 2.0,” he responded thoughtfully. “I think Djokovic is a bit more complete. Sinner has more speed in his shots, Nole a bit more touch,” said Nadal.

“They both have in common the fact that they always impose a high pace and have exceptional ball control, with extremely high-level movement.”

“Jannik plays with a very defined pattern: he imposes a very fast pace from the start, which is difficult for anyone to keep up with.”

Now, as the final stages of the ATP Finals approach, the question hangs in the air: can Sinner rise again and defend his title against the fiercest competition in men’s tennis?