In 2021, after winning his first-ever match at the Madrid Open, the wildcard entrant Carlos Alcaraz was all poised to face his “idol” in the second round. Although the match was pretty one-sided and Rafael Nadal won that match by 6-1,6-2 in just 1 hour and minutes, the youngster did receive praise from the ‘King of Clay’. In the post-match interview, while speaking about Alcaraz, Nadal said, “Yeah, when somebody at his age is able to do the things that he’s doing is because you have something special, no?” He stated that Carlitos has all the ingredients to become a “great player,” and he believes that he is “gonna be able to burn cycles very soon, very fast.”

Fast forward four years, and the 21-year-old Alcaraz has gone from a rising star to a superstar. He has already clinched four Grand Slam titles in his short career. This year, he has already won two titles (Rotterdam and Monte Carlo).  Can he win his third in Madrid after missing out on the chance from a close distance in Barcelona? Or will Nadal’s long-time rival, Novak Djokovic, have the last laugh this time?

Well, Carlos Alcaraz has won the Madrid Open twice — in 2022 and 2023. On the other hand, the Serbian star Novak Djokovic has won it three times — in 2011, 2016, and 2019. Interestingly, the tournament organizers placed both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in the same half of the draw. This is at the ATP Masters 1000 event. That increases the chances of them meeting in the semifinals. Djokovic currently has a 5-3 record against the Spaniard. Who in between these two has a higher chance of clinching the trophy this year? Let’s hear it from the ‘horse’s mouth’!

Rafael Nadal has won 22 Grand Slam titles in his career, and guess what? 14 of them came at the clay court slam (French Open). Not only that, he has won 11 titles in Monte Carlo, 12 in Barcelona, and 5 in Madrid. Can Alcaraz match that legacy of the ‘King of Clay’? Time will tell, but according to Nadal, he’s surely one of the favorites in this year’s Madrid Open. Recently, Nadal and Alcaraz reunited on the red carpet at the Laureus World Sports Awards, and during an interview in that star-studded event, Nadal was asked to name the player he thinks is the favorite to win this year’s title at the Spanish capital.

Interestingly, despite Djokovic’s past success at this tournament, Rafa gave a nod to his compatriot by saying, “Well, if Carlos is doing well, I think he’s always the favorite.” Although a fair chunk of Alcaraz’s titles have come on clay, there is a slight concern about his fitness levels before the Madrid Open. Reason?

Interesting Fact: Rafael Nadal won the second-ever Laureus Sporting Icon Award, and the five-time Sportsman of the Year recipient, Novak Djokovic, was also present at this mega event. In fact, the Serb announced this year’s winner, pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis. 

Well, Alcaraz called for a Medical Time Out after playing the first three games of the second set. He was up against Holger Rune in the final of the Barcelona Open. He appeared to be struggling a bit with his movement during the match. Later on, Joan Solsona of MARCA confirmed that Alcaraz would undergo an MRI scan. The doctors will use the scan to examine the adductor muscles in his right leg. Although Alcaraz remains quite “confident” about getting back to full fitness levels before starting his campaign at the Madrid Open, this slight hiccup while playing on his “favorite surface” is concerning.

Carlos Alcaraz’s respect for Rafael Nadal grows further after clay swing takes its toll in Barcelona

Carlos Alcaraz was keen to clinch his third title of the season in Barcelona, but his leg issue perhaps spoiled the plans a bit for him in the final. Alcaraz has always been very much vocal about the “demanding” nature of the sport, and this time he was seen highlighting the clay-court swing especially. 

Drawing his “idol” Rafael Nadal’s heroics into the discussion, he said, “Having played so many matches without a break is what it’s all about. I didn’t think about that, but I did know it would be tough and demanding. I had faith in playing good tennis, which I think I did. This is demanding; you have to give 100% every day. Playing in Monte Carlo and arriving in Barcelona with just a few days to spare is always complicated. I surrender at Rafa Nadal’s feet, what he did week after week. Something you have in your mind is how difficult it is.”

After seeing his admission that his own challenging experience had given him an even greater respect for Rafael Nadal. Fans wondered if the ‘King of Clay’ had contacted him after his recent defeat at the Barcelona Open final. In reply to that, Alcaraz said, “He wrote to me. To give me some encouragement, telling me he hopes that I’m not injured and that in a few days, I can train again and give my all.”

Alcaraz will face either Zizou Bergs or Yoshihito Nishioka in his first match in Madrid. Do you think Alcaraz can clinch a few more titles before taking his flight to Paris?