“Too good” Rafael Nadal left stunned by Carlos Alcaraz’s power on the practice courts of Indian Wells
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Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz
Rafael Nadal is the current player of the year and among the most well-known and accomplished athletes in the world. The 35-year-old, who has achieved everything there is to achieve in tennis, is poised to extend his reign. With a 15-0 victory record, this year was extra remarkable for the Spaniard. What makes it even more astonishing is that he returned from a career-threatening foot injury that had him questioning his future in the sport.
This year, the Spaniard began by winning the event in Melbourne. Then came his maiden Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, when Nadal set yet another record and cemented his place in tennis history one more time. He came back from a two-set deficit to defeat World No. 1, Daniil Medvedev, in the finals. It was one of Rafa’s greatest performances in his career. He went on to win the Mexican Open not long after that.
To even share a practice court with a player so legendary is a dream for many. Carlos Alcaraz is one such player to experience that. Coming from the same homeland, the two have practiced previously as well. However, Nadal was the one full of admiration for the rising tennis star this time. Alcaraz, who is considered to be following in the footsteps of Nadal, is making a name for himself in tennis. He became the youngest ATP 500 champion since the category’s foundation when he won in Rio at the age of 18. He is also the world’s youngest player to have broken the top 20.
The two players trained together ahead of the Indian Wells Masters, and videos were posted on the internet. They can be seen engaged in a long rally, striking forceful strokes, in a video released by the official account of TennisTV. The fans became louder as Alcaraz closed the rally with a magnificent forehand. At the end of the rally, Rafa also says “too good.”
Rafa also posted a picture with Alcaraz where they are standing on the court. The 21-times grand slam champion captioned it “Good training with Carlitos”. Both players look fresh and ready to hit the match courts one more time.
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz Garcia’s path ahead at the Indian Wells 2022
Rafael Nadal is the favorite to win this tournament, and he will get the competition started with vigour. The World No. 4 will play in the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year this week in Indian Wells. The 35-year-old has three victories in the Indian Wells tournament: in 2007, 2009, and 2013. He hasn’t shifted his focus away from his upward trajectory and will not do so in the future. He will become the oldest player to win the Indian Wells Masters if he wins this tournament. Following a first-round bye, Nadal will likely start against Sebastian Korda.
With a strong start to the season, including a third-round appearance at the Australian Open and the following victory in Rio, Alcaraz has high expectations. Alcaraz currently has an 8-1 match record this season. The 18-year-old, who is seeded 19th in this competition, seems to be in fine shape and is anticipated to shine.
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Shilpi Pusadkar
(106 Articles Published)