Carlos Alcaraz: Nadal and Federer as role models

Carlos Alcaraz, the actual Number 2 in the worldhas revealed that his Spanish compatriot Rafael Nadal “has always been my idol and still is”while he sees Roger Federer as another legend he admires.

In a video shared by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), Alcaraz spoke about the players he looks up to and revealed that Nadal remains his biggest role model. “My hero was Rafael Nadal and still is.

Since I started playing tennis, I always look up to Rafa when I watch his matches,” said 20-year-old Alcaraz. “Of course I also look up to Roger Federer, but it was always Rafa. I always watched tennis, the big things he achieved, the big games he played.”

Encounters on the tennis court

Alcaraz and Nadal have met on the tennis court three times so far.

Their first meeting came in the last 32 round of the 2021 Madrid Open, where an inexperienced Alcaraz was defeated by Nadal 6-1, 6-2. Their next meeting was in the semi-finals of the 2022 Indian Wells Masters, where Nadal won again – this time 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 – in a close and entertaining match.

The two Spanish stars then met in their most recent meeting in the quarter-finals of last year’s Madrid Open, with Alcaraz claiming his first win over his legendary compatriot 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.

Alcaraz also recently spoke about the influence of the ‘Big Three’ – Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic – and how he regrets not having had the opportunity to play against the Swiss before he retired from professional sport in September 2022.

“These three great players influenced me and practically all tennis players. I grew up with them, saw them play Grand Slam finals. I always thought I was on [ihrer] Job”, the Spaniard told the media in Mexico before an exhibition last month.

“I worked hard, I had a clear dream that I pursued. I had the opportunity to play with Djokovic and Rafa, but not with Federer – I would have loved that.” With 22 Grand Slam titles under his belt, Nadal returns to the tour in January after a lengthy injury break in Australia. The 37-year-old has not competed since the Australian Open 2023.