Toni Nadal freely admits he's critical of NextGen stars.

However, US Open finalist Daniil Medvedev has earned Uncle Toni's respect as future Grand Slam champion.

Nadal: What's Next

Toni Nadal, Rafael Nadal's uncle and original coach, says Medvedev has the desire, discipline and "very complete" game to beat anyone.

"My nephew was the favorite but he met a NextGen player (Medvedev) who unlike the other young players is less charismatic, but more committed and combative," Uncle Toni Nadal wrote of Medvedev in his US Open wrap column for El Pais.

While NextGen stars including ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev, Australian Open semifinalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paris Masters champ Karen Khachanov have often earned more accolades, Toni Nadal views Medvedev as a "very serious" threat to the Big 3. 

"I am critical of Next Gen... In general, I say that at 20 years old tennis players were more mature (in Nadal's younger years) than now,” Toni Nadal told Gazetta dello Sport. "Medvedev, however, seems to me to be willing to do anything to reach the top, with the right will.

"Daniil is a very serious boy with a great tennis level. He has been the best of the Next Gen in this US Open 2019 and throughout the summer, getting to face the best players in the circuit. I have been looking forward to being able to surprise, win a Grand Slam and thus be able to put pressure on those in front of him.

“I consider him a very complete tennis player, with a lot of control in the game and able to beat any tennis player. In recent years it has been said that Zverev was the tennis player destined to win Grand Slams in the future, but it seems that everything has changed with the arrival of this type of tennis player.”

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