Carlos Alcaraz is getting blessed with compliments, at a time when he needs it the most! We’ve seen the Spanish talent suffer these past few weeks, during the North American hard-court swing. The young talent certainly wouldn’t want to stay submerged in troubled waters and his Laver Cup teammates are on a quest to up his morale. And bear in mind, Alcaraz has earned notable goodwill in the sport. With the younger generation and budding players looking up to him, a rookie sensation voiced his thoughts on the Spaniard today.

Fronting the Laver Cup with laudable performances, Alcaraz has tasked himself with Team Europe’s glory. Despite entering the group event on a disheartening note – a premature end to his North American hardcourt swing, the Spanish talent has seemingly thwarted his dropped form. Adding to his victories, Alcaraz outclassed Ben Shelton without dropping a set at the Laver Cup, hauling Team Europe back to level 4-4 with Team USA. Well, after all, Alcaraz was blessed with kind words while dueling with the young American.

Leading the match 6-4, 3-2, the former World No. 1 shared an adorable moment with teammate Flavio Cobolli. Looking to push Alcaraz’s high-spirited athleticism on the court, the Italian pro praised Alcaraz, as he notably reminded him of his greatness. “Do your stuff, take your time, and hit the ball….you are the best player in the world man, you should know it,” Cobolli said. His remarks weren’t baseless either. In fact, they were the kind words Alcaraz needed the most.

After struggling to maintain his composure in New York, the Spaniard was high-key disappointed. After the most dismal showing in his four consecutive years of Flushing Meadows appearances, a vexed Alcaraz highlighted his troubles during a post-match presser. “It was the worst match that I ever played in my career. I couldn’t control myself. I couldn’t be better.” At the Laver Cup though, Alcaraz was looking to share the locker room with his compatriot Rafael Nadal, but it wasn’t to be.

Carlos Alcaraz addresses Rafael Nadal’s disheartening Laver Cup withdrawal

Rafael Nadal has left fans worried again. After marking his comeback to the Tour, beating his injury concerns, the Spanish legend couldn’t live up to the hype. With a worrisome record for the 2024 season, Rafa’s retirement speculations have been driving down the block. His much-anticipated appearance at the Laver Cup also went in vain when he announced his withdrawal, citing physical limitations. This, in turn, prompted his countryman Carlos Alcaraz to address his absence from the Berlin event.

In an obvious state of missing Nadal’s presence, Alcaraz said, “It would have been super special to repeat here in Berlin. When they gave the team and I saw that Rafa was coming, I was excited to share the locker room with him once again. I am going to miss him and I hope he returns to the courts soon when he feels well. I hope we meet at some tournament soon.”

Earlier this season, both players joined forces to represent Spain at the Paris Olympics. Despite gaining much traction, the duo was sent packing. With Rafa’s comeback chances in the wind, at least for now, another shot at witnessing the two Spanish stars together in action seems slim.