Carlos Alcaraz was in the Spanish Davis Cup team that Rafael Nadal was apart of in the final tournament of his career.
Nadal lost to Botic van de Zandschulp in what turned out to be the final match of his career, as the Netherlands beat Spain at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
Alcaraz was part of that deciding doubles rubber alongside Marcel Granollers, that ultimately turned out to be the match that confirmed Nadal’s on-court career was over.
Days after the conclusion of the tie, Alcaraz said he was missing Nadal, but has now admitted that they have not spoken since.
Carlos Alcaraz explains why he hasn’t spoken to Rafael Nadal
Nadal had an emotional farewell in Malaga, but not everyone was keen on the way that the 22-time Grand Slam champion said goodbye to tennis.
One of those people was his coach, Carlos Moya, who criticized Nadal’s retirement ceremony with some strong words.
When talking to Spanish outlet SPORT, Alcaraz gave an insight into his relationship with Nadal and explained why he has not spoken to him since that farewell.
“Rafa and I have a very good relationship, but I haven’t spoken to him again since he retired from the Davis Cup,” Alcaraz admitted. “I think he deserves to be at peace with his family and enjoying the things that he couldn’t enjoy when he was playing.
“He has been and is a great role model for me. I have seen that he has congratulated me on social media, but I have not yet had the chance to speak to him. I am sure that the time will come when I can do so.”
How did Rafael Nadal react after Carlos Alcaraz won the Rotterdam Open?
Although they may not have had many conversations, it seems as though Nadal has been keeping up with Alcaraz’s results.
Alcaraz matched Nadal with his victory in Rotterdam, the tournament where the 38-year-old had lost in the final to Andy Murray in 2009.
Despite having never won this title, Nadal was one of many to congratulate Alcaraz after lifting his first trophy on indoor hard courts.
In response to Alcaraz, Nadal reacted with a series of emojis (eyes, trophy and clapping) to show that he had seen what his compatriot had achieved.
As he looks to continue his form from Rotterdam, Alcaraz is making his debut at the Qatar Open, where Nadal was a singles champion in 2014.
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