“I thought I could beat him, but Rafa has thousand lives”- Carlos Alcaraz believes he is ready to take on top players after grueling semi-final clash against Rafael Nadal
Follow Us
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal
Carlos Alcaraz put on a spirited performance during his semi-final defeat to Rafael Nadal at the 2022 Indian Wells. It was a battle of generations in the Californian desert and it was the 21-time Grand Slam champion who emerged victorious in a 3-set thriller. Alcaraz endured gusty conditions and put on a valiant fight before going down 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to the 3-time Indian Wells champion.
In the first all-Spanish semi-final at the Indian Wells, Nadal and Alcaraz put on a scintillating display amidst windy conditions. The duo traded breaks of serve in the opening set, but Nadal’s gritty gameplay came in handy as he clinched the first set on Alcaraz’s serve. Alcaraz then maintained his cool and got the decisive break in the 9th game of the second set to force a decider. It was all even in the final set until Nadal got the crucial break and then held his own serve to extend his winning streak to 20 matches.
This was Alcaraz’s second defeat to Nadal in as many meetings, nevertheless, it was a formidable performance from the young Spaniard against Nadal, who is 17 years his senior. Nadal brought forth his experience and just about edged out his compatriot and will now face Taylor Fritz in the summit clash for his 4th title of the year.
“I know how to play against these kind of players now”: Carlos Alcaraz
In his post-match conference, Alcaraz reflected on his chances during the match. The 18-year-old said he had the higher ground multiple times during the course of the match, but lamented it wasn’t enough against the 21-time Grand Slam champion. However, he added he is upbeat about his performance despite the loss and says he is ready to take on top players. He also recalled his first clash against Nadal which he lost in straight sets and said he is delighted that the match could go the distance this time.
“I thought I could beat him a lot of times during the match, but Rafa has 1000 lives. I had my chances and leave this tournament happy with my performance. Now I know how to play against these top guys. [The] first time he destroyed me. Now we played [a] the third set… I’m really happy. [It was my] second time against Rafa. I feel like I’m part of that level. I am part of these kind of players. I think I’m going to play against Rafa or the best players a lot this year,” he said.
“I think last year [there] were a lot of first times for me. I mean, first win in a Grand Slam, first Masters 1000. A lot of first times. Now I played more matches against Top 10 players, big matches in big stadiums. I think now I’m more mature. I know how to control myself, my emotions. Now I know [this] is my level. [I] know how to play against these kinds of players. That’s the most important, [to] know your level and what you have to do,” he added.
Stay Updated!
T Rushitha
(360 Articles Published)