Australian Open 2021. Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz They train together and that’s when Rafa realizes he’s facing a special tennis player. The Balearic islander revealed it after the semi-finals of the Six King Slam in which it was the world number two who won and who will compete in the grand final on Saturday.
“People told me there was someone very good. I trained with him in Australia in 2021 and although he was very good, I saw things you don’t see in others.. And you can see it now,” Nadal said at the end of the match with Carlos by his side.
As for whether he wants to give him advice, Rafa was cautious: “He doesn’t need it. He has an incredible team.” Of course, he made it clear that he would answer the phone if he needed advice: “I’ll be ready if you call me at any time.”
Regarding the last match they played against each other, the Spaniard assumed that his rival’s level was much higher: “Carlos was too good. Every year he gets better. I tried. I haven’t competed in a few months and. It wasn’t enough to play against an animal like him.”
He also wanted to thank the support of the audience in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. But also the encouragement she receives all over the world: “I feel supported by everyone.”
“Thank you everyone for your support. You have always been there to give me energy. I feel very lucky. I tried to be nice to everyone,” concluded a smiling Rafa, who will play again on Saturday against Novak Djokovic for third and fourth places in this exhibition tournament.
