Toni Nadal has suggested Carlos Alcaraz walk away from tennis if he cannot handle the pressures of the sport at its highest level. The uncle and long-time coach of Rafael Nadal, Toni, recently appeared on the Nude Project podcast to speak about his nephew’s illustrious career and recent retirement, before directing his attention to Alcaraz’s Netflix docu-series, which looks at his life away from the courts.
In the show, Alcaraz shared that he partied in Ibiza with a friend just weeks before defending his Wimbledon title. A clip featured the 22-year-old saying: “I ended up going and they know what I’m going there to do. In Ibiza, I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty much all about partying and going out. I basically went there to reventar [literally, ‘burst’ in Spanish], I’m not sure if that’s the best way to put it, but I went there to go out.”
And despite admitting that he hasn’t actually watched the show, Toni was quick to give a scathing assessment of how the current world No. 2 carries himself. He said: “If it is too much for him, then he should quit tennis.
“I understand things differently in life. In the world of sports, everything tends to be exaggerated. I’ve often heard about the sacrifice in sports, the sacrifices made by Real Madrid athletes, and I would say: ‘Sacrifice?’
“Life is about making choices, not just doing what I want. Sometimes it’s worth it for people, and sometimes it’s not. If it’s not worth it for you, it’s better to change jobs.”
However, in the same breath, Toni added that he sees Alcaraz as one of the greatest players at present. He said: “I hope Alcaraz doesn’t change jobs because he’s one of the best in the world, but one has to take on the challenge..
“One must accept that things in life will involve a series of compromises. I don’t talk about sacrifices because I think that sacrifice is what you do for others.
“When you do it for yourself, it’s the price you have to pay. Alcaraz, being a great tennis player, indeed pays a price. But on the other hand, he earns much more money than the vast majority of young people his age, has much greater social recognition, and experiences things that few people do…But if it’s not worth it for you, better make a decision.”
Alcaraz already has four Grand Slams: a pair of Wimbledon titles, a French Open, and a US Open. While comparisons have been drawn between the star and Nadal, the youngster has work to do should he hope to come close to the career that the King of Clay enjoyed, after he retired with 22 Grand Slams to his name.
Alcaraz has impressed at Roland Garros and has the chance to secure a second title this month. The Spaniard beat Giulio Zeppieri in his opening match before besting Fabian Marozsan, Damir Dzumhur, and Ben Shelton to reach the quarter-finals.
To progress to the semis, he must dispatch of world No. 12, Tommy Paul, on Tuesday evening. The pair are set to meet at 7:15pm at the Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk