Nadal says it’s ‘a good thing’ he won’t play Alcaraz after their exhibition game

Rafa Nadal is back... again. The former world No. 1 made his second comeback to the tennis courts this year after playing at the Brisbane Open in January and showed a great level of tennis against his fellow countryman Carlos Alcaraz during the Netflix Slam exhibition match played in Las Vegas.

Nadal, who admitted that 2024 could be his last year competing as a professional, was very close to defeating the favorite Alcaraz in a game where there were quite a few doubts about Nadal’s fitness.

However, the 22-time Grand Slam tournament champion seemed to have turned the clock back with his impressive performance at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. He was the better player in the first set, not allowing Carlitos to break his serve, and although the younger and fresher player won the second set, the super tie-break was as spectacular as it can get.

The Murcia native star ended up winning the match after winning 14-12 in the third and last one, with Nadal saving up to five match points and showing that resilience and fighting spirit that have made him so successful throughout the years.

Nadal jokes about not having to deal with Alcaraz again

The Nadal-Alcaraz showdown was probably even better than what many fans expected to see. The Manacor-bred legend hadn’t been seen playing a game since he lost to Jordan Thompson in Brisbane, after suffering a muscle injury that kept him off the courts since then.

The match against Juan Carlos Ferrero’s player probably boosted Nadal’s confidence after being injured for so long and despite tasting defeat, the Spaniard seemed happy with his performance.

Both men have met three times so far, with Nadal edging their head-to-head 2-1, although Alcaraz has been getting better every time they have met.

“It’s a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times,” Nadal joked after the match.

“As a fan, I will enjoy watching him for many years hopefully! He’s a big challenge. It’s completely different generations. In Spain, we should be very, very happy about having someone like Carlos coming”, he said.

“He’s an amazing player. He’s only 20 years old and he’s already won two Slams and a couple of important tournaments”, he stated.

Nadal’s pessimism about Indian Wells before facing Alcaraz

Nadal’s first objective was to be able to participate in the Qatar Open, in Doha, but he had to postpone his return because he wasn’t ready to compete at the highest level. He has only played two tournaments in 13 months, as in 2023 he didn’t play any match after getting injured at the Australian Open.

“I don’t know how I am. I haven’t played a set since Brisbane. I’ve had better and worse moments”, he said about his chances at Indian Wells before taking on Alcaraz.

“The most important thing for me is that I’m here. If I’m here it’s already good news”, he added.

“Two weeks ago, beyond the results, the goal was to play Las Vegas and Indian Wells and I’m closer to achieving it. I don’t know what level I’ll be at in Indian Wells, but it is the least important thing today. For me, it is important to spend a few days in Indian Wells and train with professionals”, Nadal explained.

Nadal also admitted that he’s not happy with the process of getting back to competition after several weeks out of action:

“The preparation for Indian Wells has been bad and for Brisbane had been good. I hope to play a set between this Sunday’s match and the three days I have left before the debut”.

“For me, the priority is to try to get out of Indian Wells unscathed. Whatever has to be left, leave it in the clay season, which may or may not be the last, I have not decided 100%. At the moment things are going that way”, he concluded.

Nadal’s main goals this year are to try to win a final major in Paris, where he will be looking for his 15th French Open title, and try to clinch a medal in the Olympic Games, which will also take place in the French capital in summer.