“Don’t see any reason why he can’t win,” Rafael Nadal feels Carlos Alcaraz can challenge Novak Djokovic in the semifinal clash
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Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal
Carlos Alcaraz was third time lucky as he faced Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals at the 2022 Madrid Open and defeated him. This was the biggest win in his short career, much bigger than the finals that he has won till now. It was a special occasion for the youngster as he won 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 to progress to the last four in the Spanish capital.
Rafael Nadal came to this game after beating David Goffin in a gruelling encounter that lasted for more than three hours. The Spaniard saved four match points and came back in the game to beat the Belgian. Then he faced Alcaraz and did start the way he would have liked. But then he won the second set and just when it looked like swaying Nadal’s way, the youngster stamped his authority and wrapped up the deciding set to progress through to the semifinals.
After the defeat, Nadal was disappointed but his primary goal remains to stay fit and feature at the Roland Garros later this year. So he was satisfied with the game time he got on the court in the Madrid Open and will now look to do the same in Rome at the Italian Open. This was his first event after he suffered a stress fracture on his ribs at the semifinals of the Indian Wells.
Carlos can win perfectly: Rafael Nadal believes Carlos Alcaraz can challenge Novak Djokovic
After losing to Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal opened up as the favourite among the young Spaniard and World No.1 Novak Djokovic in their epic semifinal clash. Sharing his opinion on the semifinal clash in the Madrid Open, Nadal said, “Carlos can win perfectly. I don’t see any reason why he cannot win.”
Nadal shared that Novak Djokovic is more prepared than he is as this was his first tournament after suffering a stress fracture on his ribs. Whereas Djokovic has played a number of matches since his return and is better placed to play against Alcaraz. “It’s true that he cannot have the downside that he had on the second set today, but he plays with a lot of adrenaline,” Rafael Nadal added.
This will the fifth semifinal for Carlos Alcaraz as he seeks inspiration from David Nalbandian who remains to be the only player to beat the ‘Big 3’ in Madrid back in 2007. So after winning titles in Rio, Miami and Barcelona, the 19-year-old has his eyes on the Madrid Open title.
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Atrayo Bhattacharya
(193 Articles Published)