‘Suffering With the Sport He Loves’ – Carlos Alcaraz Expresses Concern for Rafael Nadal’s Health Ahead of French Open 2022

Walking in the footsteps of his idol Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz is having a dream run in 2022. Winning title after title, the 19-year-old is currently the most promising player on the tour. On the other hand, his idol Nadal, who kicked off the year in the most desirable fashion is suffering from the ever-existing foot pain, which might impact his chances at the French Open.

Nadal’s struggle with health issues is undoubtedly an unsaid advantage for Alcaraz. However, in the words of Alcaraz, he feels hurt to see his idol in such a situation.

Carlos Alcaraz feels hurt for Nadal

With the clay court tournaments coming to an end, Nadal and Alcaraz are now gearing up for Roland Garros as the biggest clay-court stage is just four days away. Both players are currently in their last days of training. While Nadal will be eyeing his record 14th Roland Garros title, Carlos, Alcaraz will be eyeing to improve his win streak and win his maiden Grand Slam title.

Recently, taking some time off from his intense training, Carlos attended an event by Spanish news agency, EFE News. During the event, Carlos received the accolade for Best Athlete in Murcia. The award was a treat for the young Spaniard as well as his fans. However, it was his red-carpet interview that caught a major spotlight.

Talking to the press on the red carpet, Carlos expressed his concern over Nadal’s health issues. The young Spaniard, who recently outplayed his idol at the Madrid Open, asserted that he feels hurt seeing Nadal in such a condition. He said, “It hurts to see Rafa Nadal suffering with the sport he loves.”

Nadal and Alcaraz’s build-up to Roland Garros 2022

The route to Stade Roland Garros kicked off at the Monte Carlo Masters. Entering the tournament, Carlos suffered a second exit. On the other hand, Nadal, an 11-time champion was forced to withdraw following a rib injury. Going ahead, the next in line was the event at Barcelona. While Nadal was still on his way to recovery, Carlos made the strongest comeback, winning the title with ease.

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The month of May started with the Madrid Open. While Alcaraz maintained his strong firm on the courts of Madrid, Nadal also made a comeback this time. Going strong in the initial rounds, the two faced each other in the quarterfinals with Alcaraz outplaying the five-time champion. He further went on to win the title.

The two played their final build up tournament at the Rome Masters. While Nadal suffered a third-round loss to Shapovalov, Carlos opted to withdraw from the tournament in order to prepare better for Roland Garros.

Looking at the performance, Carlos has a slight upper hand over Nadal at Roland Garros. However, keeping in mind the massive legacy of Nadal, one cannot rule out a strong performance by him. Taking the two points into consideration, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the two are undoubtedly the hot favorites for the Paris title.

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