"I can't quite understand the argument" - Boris Becker on Rafael Nadal's worries about the future of tennis

Rafael Nadal recently spoke at length about the future of tennis, expressing concerns about the direction in which the sport is going. According to Nadal, tennis is becoming increasingly one-dimensional with its reliance on power and big serving.

But in a recent interview with Eurosport, six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker disagreed with the Spaniard's sentiment.

Becker first admitted that Nadal's words should be respected given all that he has achieved in tennis. According to the German, there is nobody more knowledgeable than Nadal when it comes to the sport's intricacies.

"When Rafael Nadal speaks about tennis, we first have to shut up and listen," Becker said. "There is (nobody) much better than Nadal."

The German then cited the examples of Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner to illustrate the variety on the men's tour at the moment.

"But I can already see a variety - whether it is [Stefanos] Tsitsipas, [Daniil] Medvedev, [Alexander] Zverev, [Jannik] Sinner or [Carlos] Alcaraz," Becker said. "They're all different players, so I can't quite understand the argument that he's worried. I don't think it's so tragic, I like the young players."

While speaking on the topic, Rafael Nadal had particularly stressed on his belief that the importance of talent and tactics is reducing in the modern era. The Spaniard had also claimed that "the situation" would get worse in the coming decade.

"In the past, talent and tactics were much more relevant than they are today," Nadal had said. "Tennis is faster and faster and I'm not convinced it's the right way."

"If a solution is not found soon, there is a risk that tennis will become hostage to that single shot (serve)," he had added. "I think the situation will get worse in the next 10 years."

But if Boris Becker's stance is to be believed, the likes of Tsitsipas and Sinner will ensure there is enough of a counter to the big servers like Zverev and Medvedev.

Rafael Nadal's rehab from foot injury continues

Rafael Nadal at the 2021 French Open - Day Thirteen

Rafael Nadal has been away from the tour since July. The Spaniard's chronic foot injury resurfaced at Roland Garros, which subsequently forced him out of Wimbledon, Tokyo Olympics and the US Open.

Nadal is currently undergoing rehabilitation and is already back on the practice court. The 35-year-old will be eyeing a return at the Australian Open, where he will be going head-to-head with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer to gain the lead in the all-time Slam race. The trio are currently tied at 20 Majors apiece.