After the 37-year-old Spaniard was defeated by his fellow Spaniard in an exhibition match on Sunday in Las Vegas, Rafa Nadal said that one benefit of approaching the peak of his career is that he would not have to play Carlos Alcaraz too frequently.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal continued, saying the 20-year-old was leading Spanish tennis into the future. After Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz is rated second in the world and has previously won majors at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon.
“It’s a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times,” said Nadal, who expects to retire in 2024 after a series of injuries 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.
“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 world number two Alcaraz are next in action at the Masters tournament at Indian Wells.
