Carlos Alcaraz has praised Rafael Nadal’s legacy in tennis, calling it “eternal” and expressing that it is nearly impossible to follow in his footsteps.
Nadal, 38, played his final match during Spain’s Davis Cup quarterfinal tie against the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Although he opened the tie, he was defeated by Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-4. Alcaraz, who followed with a win over Tallon Griekspoor (7-6 [0], 6-3), kept Spain’s hopes alive, but despite their best efforts, he and Marcel Granollers were beaten in doubles by Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof, 7-6 [4], 7-6 [3], sealing the end of Nadal’s career.
Nadal had announced in October that he would retire after this Davis Cup due to his physical limitations preventing him from competing at the level he desired.
With an incredible 22 men’s singles Grand Slam titles, his legacy is unmatched in the sport.
Alcaraz, 21, already a four-time Grand Slam champion, is considered by many to be Nadal’s successor, though he is cautious about comparisons.
“I think that he was one of the best ambassadors for tennis,” Alcaraz said of Nadal. “I mean, his legacy is going to be eternal. You know, he has been great for tennis, for this sport in general.”
He continued, “Yeah, it is difficult, at least for me. I don’t want to think that I should continue, you know, the legacy that he has left. It is difficult, almost impossible. I will try to do my best, but right now, you know, it’s time to say, you know, just great things about Rafa, what he has done, you know, during his career. Probably he was one of the players that put tennis, you know, in the top of sport in the top of the world. It is just great to have had Rafa in tennis and, you know, in this period in my life.”
Though Spain had been favorites to defeat the Netherlands and hoped Nadal would help secure a Davis Cup title in his final tournament, the Dutch team ended those aspirations, leaving Nadal’s retirement unceremoniously earlier than expected.
Despite the emotional weight of the situation, Alcaraz insisted he didn’t feel extra pressure.
“I really wanted to do it for Rafa, but I stay focused on my game, try not to think about, you know, Rafa’s last tournament, Rafa’s last match,” Alcaraz explained. “I didn’t want to think about it. I just wanted to help the team as much I can. I wanted to try to, you know, win both matches just to keep going, try to enjoy this week much more, but I couldn’t. But it wasn’t the extra pressure that knowing it was Rafa’s last tournament.”
Nadal, reflecting on Spain’s loss, said that had he been the team captain, he would have chosen Roberto Bautista Agut to play singles had Spain advanced to the semifinals.
Despite the loss, team captain David Ferrer was resolute in his decision to start Nadal in the opening singles match.
“It wasn’t difficult,” Ferrer stated. “In the end, I am the captain. I decide that the players that they are going to play, and we knew that Holland, they have good players. And with this format never is easy.”
Ferrer accepted the loss with grace, acknowledging the Dutch team’s deserved victory, “The court is faster than usually on the tour. This is not excuse, because at the end, they deserve win the tie, and congrats. In the end, this is sport, and, well, now it’s a night that we are of course disappointed because we play at home with our crowd, and yeah, we are sad, of course.”
He added, “But I am proud of my players. They try to do their best. They compete. As I said before, this is sport. We have to accept and nothing else. And tomorrow is going to be another day.”
