Tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz has revealed it’s been months since he last spoke to Rafael Nadal. But the distance hasn’t been borne of any negative emotion; rather Alcaraz has attempted to respect his countryman’s privacy after retiring from the sport.
Nadal, 38, officially hung up his racket in November following Spain’s exit from the 2024 Davis Cup finals. And the tennis great has kept a low profile in the immediate aftermath, in-keeping with his character as a fairly private individual.
It’s a testament to Alcaraz’s character that even at his young age, the 21-year-old knows when to back off. Following his recent triumph at the Rotterdam Open, the youngster revealed it’s been some time since he last interacted with Spain’s most successful player of all time.
“I have a very good relationship with Rafa, but I haven’t spoken to him again after his retirement from the Davis Cup,” he told Sport. “I think he deserves to be at peace with his family, enjoying what he could not enjoy before.
“For me, he has been and is a great reference point. I’ve seen that he congratulated me on social media, but I haven’t yet had the chance to speak with him directly. I’m sure there will come a time when we can do so.”
The pair spent plenty of time together last year, twice linking up as team-mates on the court. Alcaraz won siler in the men’s singles competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he and Nadal also reached the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles event.
They then reunited as part of Spain’s bid for the Davis Cup crown in the autumn. However, their efforts proved futile after falling to the Netherlands, who went on to finish as runners-up behind Italy.
The pair appear to have a blossoming relationship as both friends and colleagues. It was during their time as team-mates in Paris last year that Nadal joked he can’t keep up with Alcaraz’s pace, however.
“I’ve been with Carlos for three days and I can’t take it anymore,” he said in July 2024. “We have toured the Village seven times and this boy never gets tired! Today he wanted to go take pics with badminton players and I told him to go alone, that I give up.”
While they may not have spoken for some months, one can rest assured Nadal will be cheering his compatriot on from afar. After lifting the title in Rotterdam, Alcaraz has moved his attention to the Qatar Open, where he’ll face Luca Nardi in the last 16 on Wednesday.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk