French Open 2024: Carlos Alcaraz Talks Like Idol Rafeal Nadal as He Unveils Superstitious Side Ahead of Alexander Zverev Final

Is Carlos Alcaraz following in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal? “My hero was Rafael Nadal and it’s still Rafael Nadal. Since I started playing tennis, I look up to Rafa every time that I watch his matches,” Alcaraz said in a recent interview. The 21-year-old Spaniard has already won two major titles and is currently on the cusp of winning his third in Paris! But are there any specific rituals he loves to perform ahead of these vital matches?

Last year, Alcaraz revealed that he tries to repeat the things that are going well, even if they are “nonsense“. He believes, “If at the beginning of the week, I do one thing and win the first game, I try to do the same.” But is there any specific ritual that he is set to perform before the mega final at the 2024 French Open? Replying to this question, the 2022 US Open champion said, “I probably go uh to uh somewhere just to have a walk.“

He revealed, “I don’t know I remember in the US Open Final or US Open the last uh three rounds that I didn’t practice the day before. So I just walk around and all that stuff so probably I’m going to do the same .” So, Carlos Alcaraz loves repeating the same formula which he thinks brought him success in the past! Like for example, he once spoke about how he and his team often sing, ‘Eye of the Tiger‘ before leaving for the club as a motivational exercise. If he wins, he prefers to visit the same restaurant, be with the same people, and have the same seats to just keep the winning momentum going.

Can the US Open ritual bring him luck at the 2024 French Open? Well, we have to wait for a few more hours to get this answer. But if we talk about rituals in the tennis world, there is one man who stood tall above all with a complete list of unusual on-court rituals!

“Some call it superstition, but it’s not” – Carlos Alcaraz’s idol clarifies his unusual on-court rituals

Rafael Nadal is known for his heroics on the court, he’s perhaps one of the greatest to ever step on the tennis court. But do you know he performs a bunch of ‘superstition‘ ahead of his matches? Like for example, he takes a cold shower 45 minutes before a match. Nadal wears both of his socks at the same height. He is often seen taking off his jacket while jumping and facing towards the crowd. The 38-year-old Spaniard loves sprinting to the baseline for warmups ahead of the matches. Also, he is often seen adjusting his underpants before each serve. Rafael Nadal prefers to place the bottles in the same position in front of his seat. The list goes on and on.

But is it really a ‘superstition‘? In his eponymous autobiography, Nadal said, “Some call it superstition, but it is not.” He further added, “If it was superstition, why would I keep doing the same thing over and over, whether I win or lose?” Nadal says it’s more of placing himself in a match. It’s like a routine to him. Carlos Alacaraz’s idol believes when he does these things it means he’s “focused“.

Alcaraz is now fully focused on outclassing Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the finals of Roland Garros. Do you think he can make the ‘King of Clay‘ proud with his performance?