Carlos Alcaraz paid tribute to Rafael Nadal ahead of the Spaniard’s retirement from tennis.
The 38-year-old will bid farewell to the sport after the conclusion of November’s Davis Cup finals in Malaga.
He will end his illustrious career with 22 Grand Slam titles and leaves a legacy as a player who pushed himself to the limit and showed incredible resilience.
One of those who Nadal inspired is Alcaraz, and the pair have developed a great relationship in recent times.
What did Carlos Alcaraz say about Rafael Nadal ahead of his retirement?
Like the rest of the tennis world, Carlos Alcaraz was left upset by Rafael Nadal’s retirement announcement.
He is another legend of the game to hang up his racket following Andy Murray’s retirement earlier this year, in addition to Roger Federer and Serena Williams‘ farewells in 2022.
With Novak Djokovic in the twilight phase of his career and not a dominant force at present, a new era has begun and Alcaraz is at the forefront of it.
But with his compatriot set to exit the sport, Alcaraz expressed his sadness with the decision while also praising his Paris Olympics doubles partner.
“Rafa’s retirement is a shame. It’s a shame for Spanish sport, for sport in general, for me,” he told French media outlet C à vous.
“I grew up watching Rafa, one of the main reasons why I wanted to be a tennis professional as well. He has inspired me to keep fighting, to train, to compete, which I am very grateful for.
“I don’t want to see myself as Rafa’s replacement, because in the end it is something of a loss, with everything he has done for sport, for tennis, for Spain. We are going to try to enjoy Rafa’s last matches or last tournament and we will see in the future what happens to me.”
Rafael Nadal urged to reverse his retirement decision by Holger Rune
Another player part of tennis’ younger generation is Denmark’s Holger Rune.
This season the 21-year-old has struggled somewhat, but he is still one of the players to watch moving forward and has been tipped for success at the highest level.
Rune, who did not play Nadal in an ATP Tour match, practiced with him ahead of the Six Kings Slam, and wished he was not retiring.
“You get inspiration from players like Djokovic or Rafa Nadal. I remember training with Rafa in Riyadh and it’s surprising: this guy is almost retired and he trains with such intensity that you think: ‘You shouldn’t retire’,” Rune told Eurosport.
“He’s had an incredible career and he’s achieved so much, it’s not for nothing that Rafa and Novak both give their all in every training session.”
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