Rafael Nadal ‘scared’ Carlos Alcaraz with his pre-match routines at the 2021 Madrid Open (Image: Tennis TV)
Carlos Alcaraz went from idolising Rafael Nadal to playing alongside him. Growing up, the Spaniard often looked to the 22-time Grand Slam champion for inspiration. By the time he turned professional, the tennis world started to bill Alcaraz as the ‘next Nadal’. The 21-year-old had the chance to join forces with his idol last year, teaming up in Olympic doubles before they represented Spain at the Davis Cup Finals – Nadal’s retirement tournament.
While the pair now have a close friendship, with Nadal even sending him messages following his recent runs in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, Alcaraz was initially intimidated by Nadal when they started their rivalry at the Madrid Open four years ago. The pair met on Alcaraz’s 18th birthday, and he was left feeling “scared to death” before stepping on the court.
Nadal’s intensity has been a hallmark of his career. The 22-time Grand Slam champion played every point as if it were his last. And his ferocity was even evident in the locker room.
Novak Djokovic has previously told stories of Nadal’s intimidating pre-match routines, admitting the Spaniard’s actions “p***ed him off”. And Alcaraz has now revealed that he felt the same ahead of their first tour-level meeting in 2021.
The pair met in the second round of the Madrid Open, when Alcaraz was ranked at No. 120 and received a wildcard into the main draw. It was his 18th birthday, but Nadal showed no mercy, winning 6-1 6-2.
Now a former No. 1 and former Grand Slam champion, Alcaraz reflected on their first meeting in his new Netflix documentary My Way, and revealed that he was “scared” off by Nadal’s pre-match warm-up.
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While both men waited in the tunnel to enter the court, Nadal could be seen going through his usual practices, and it threw Alcaraz off.
“I remember the first time I played against Rafael Nadal at the Madrid Open. It was a special moment. I was turning 18,” he said.
“You see Rafa Nadal doing his routine. Jumping, sprinting around. You could see it on my face, I didn’t know where to hide. Scared to death would be an understatement.”
A year later, Alcaraz got his revenge. He completed an incredible run in Madrid, beating Nadal in the quarter-final, Djokovic in the semis, and Alexander Zverev in the championship match to lift the title.
The 21-year-old now has a great relationship with Nadal, though he has struggled to cope with the pressures of being compared with the 22-time Grand Slam winner, branding it “unnecessary”.
Even Nadal believes it’s too much pressure to put on Alcaraz’s shoulders. “When you’re so young and being compared to someone who’s been on the circuit for many years, sometimes you get worn out and overwhelmed by the pressure,” he said on Alcaraz’s docuseries.
“Because, in the end, I think it can distort your daily life and confuse you.”