Mats Wilander reveals why it is good for the next generation to lose to Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer

Former world number one Mats Wilander believes that despite the lack of success for the next generation, the experience of playing Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will prove crucial.

Nadal and Federer have both experienced career resurgences as they are now the respective top-two players in the ATP tennis rankings, winning a combined 13 titles and splitting the four Grand Slams between themselves in 2017.

Meanwhile, the younger stars of tomorrow have struggled to compete with the long-time rivals, particularly in the Grand Slam events.

While there have been odd wins over the duo for the likes of Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios and Dominic Thiem, they have lacked the consistency to compete with them more regularly in the major events.

Only Zverev boasts the most success out of the youngsters with five ATP titles this year as he currently stands as world number three, albeit, the German was helped a lot by the absence of many injured stars.

John McEnroe recently claimed in October that the next generation stars were struggling to win titles because of the presence of the Big Four as well but Wilander claims their presence will only help today's youngsters.

"It's fundamental for tennis," Wilander told Marca via Tennis World USA. "I think it'd be good that younger guys face the best like Nadal and Federer, and that beat them [the younger guys]."

"It would be a way to push them to improve. If the new generation doesn't win big titles while Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray are always there, you will always say that they are a worse generation than the current one."

The former Swedish player adds that he can see the youngsters slowly having the edge over the Big Four but one question mark remains for him.

"I see them prepared," he added. "The main question mark are best of five sets matches."