Just before the start of the Davis Cup, Carlos Alcaraz said, “I really want him (Rafa) to retire with a title.” Alcaraz has time and again revealed that Rafael Nadal is his idol and in fact, he once also claimed, “He (Nadal) was one of the reasons that I wanted to become a professional tennis player.” So, after witnessing Nadal’s straight-set defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp in the first match, it was time for him to deliver against Tallon Griekspoor. Although Alcaraz managed to pull things on level terms with the Dutch at 1-1, they were defeated in the decisive doubles rubber. What did he say after the match?

It has been an emotional day for all the tennis fans. Playing a competitive match in the middle of all these isn’t an easy task, how did Carlos Alcaraz manage to bring out a win amid all these things? How much did he watch Rafael Nadal’s match? Well, in reply to this question during his on-court interview, Alcaraz said, “I watched the whole (of Nadal’s) match, I had the chance to watch the first set here live. Once you step on the court you try to show your best tennis. It’s the Davis Cup, a really important tournament for me and everyone.”

He further added, “I tried to play my best tenni s to give Spain the best chance to qualify and win today…I did it for Rafa.” Alcaraz defeated Griekspoor by 7-6(0),6-3 but he couldn’t help Rafael Nadal clinch his sixth Davis Cup title in his career. After making an unexpected exit from the Davis Cup, Carlos Alcaraz also came up with a heartfelt note for Rafael Nadal on his Instagram account. What did he write for his tennis idol, though?

Well, Alcaraz shared a picture of Rafael Nadal and captioned it with, “There will be many more Davis, there is only one Rafa Thanks to you I have become a professional tennis player. It has been a blessing to be able to live your career as a child for whom you were an idol and then as a teammate! The best possible ambassador who leaves an eternal legacy.” Not only that, later on, he also stated that Rafael Nadal’s legacy is “eternal.” He strongly believes that it’s difficult in fact, almost “impossible“, to continue what he has achieved in these 23 years.

“We’ll always remember Rafa for what he has done for tennis, for Spain, and for all of us,” said Alcaraz. Not everyone gets the chance to play with their idols. Sharing the stage with your idol is quite a fascinating thing for any player, but to receive a few words of praise from The Man itself is even more special. Did Carlos Alcaraz ever receive any praise from Rafael Nadal?

“He is a player with enormous potential” – Rafael Nadal heaps praise on Carlos Alcaraz

The future of tennis is in safe hands! Well, there have been many such instances where we’ve seen Rafael Nadal heaping praise on his 21-year-old compatriot. For example, during the Paris Olympics, he said that he was excited to play with “the best player in the world right now.” Before that, even during the Wimbledon Championships, Rafael Nadal said, “My impression is that we are talking about a player who is going to be one of the best in history. That’s my feeling. He is a player with enormous potential.”

Carlos Alcaraz has had an amazing season this year. He won four titles this season and two of them were Grand Slam triumphs (French Open and Wimbledon). During the Six Kings Slam, where Alcaraz defeated Nadal by 6-3,6-3, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said it’s very special to see someone from his country doing these heroics time and again in the sport. Is there any advice he’d love to give to his young compatriot?

Well, in reply to this, Nadal added, “I think he doesn’t need much advice. He has a great team, a great family. He’s gonna be doing very well with what he has. He’s learning all the time.” He also recalled a few moments from their first meeting in 2021. Reflecting more on that, Rafael Nadal stated, “People told me someone very good is coming. I didn’t have the chance to watch him until we practiced in Australia in 2021. Something like this. Even if he was very young you see things you don’t see in the others. You can see it now.” Nadal is happy with the way Alcaraz has evolved over the last few years. Do you think Carlos Alcaraz can walk in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal and bring more glory to his nation?