Rafael Nadal on Sunday said that one good thing about nearing the end of his career is that he would not have to face Carlos Alcaraz too many times after the 37-year-old Spaniard lost to his compatriot in an exhibition match in Las Vegas.
Nadal, who has won 22 Grand Slam titles, added that the future of Spanish tennis was in good hands with the 20-year-old.
Alcaraz has already won major titles at the US Open and Wimbledon, and is ranked No. 2 in the world behind Novak Djokovic.
Photo: AFP
“It’s a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times,” said Nadal, who expects to retire this year after a series of injuries have limited his appearances on the circuit. “As a fan, I will enjoy watching him for many years, hopefully.”
“In Spain, we should be very, very happy about having someone like Carlos coming,” Nadal said. “He’s an amazing player. He’s only 20 years old and he’s already won two Grand Slams and a couple of important tournaments.”
Nadal, who spent almost a year on the sidelines with a hip flexor injury before suffering a muscle injury at the start of this season, said he felt “much better than expected” during the exhibition match.
Nadal and Alcaraz are next in action at the Masters tournament in Indian Wells, California, which starts tomorrow.
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