Alcaraz on Nadal’s withdrawal: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw it” | ATP Tour

Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz on Nadal’s retirement: “Thanks to him I wanted to become a professional”

The Spaniard lost in the Shanghai quarterfinals against Machac

October 10, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz found out about Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal an hour before taking to the court to play the quarterfinals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters, which he lost to Tomas Machac.

The Spaniard, who had just won in Beijing after defeating Jannik Sinner in the final, saw a streak of 11 victories stopped when he fell in the most populated city in China.

What was the first thing Alcaraz did as soon as he lost against Machac? Pick up your mobile phone and post a couple of photos with Nadal, still affected by the impact of the news.

“Honestly, I couldn’t believe it when I saw it,” explained the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “It didn’t affect me before the game, I was very focused and didn’t think about Rafa’s news. “I saw it an hour before, which gave me time to accept it and forget it a little,” he continued. “It was very difficult news for everyone, and even more so for me, since Rafa has been my idol since I started playing tennis,” Alcaraz said. “Thanks to him I wanted to become a professional tennis player. Losing it, in a way, will be hard, so I will try to enjoy it as much as possible when I play. We’re playing in the Davis Cup, so I’ll make the most of my time with him. It’s a shame for tennis and for me.”

After dedicating those words to Nadal, champion of 22 Grand Slam titles, the Murcian reviewed his defeat against Machac in a dog-eat-dog match.

“I felt like I was playing against a Top-5 player,” he explained about his opponent. “His level was very high. I thought he would give me a chance, but he didn’t. From the first to the last point, his level was incredible, especially the speed of the ball,” he added. “I felt good on the court, I was hitting the ball well and moving well, but there was a moment when I didn’t know what to do,” he continued. “Every time he hit it with his forehand, it was a winner or the next one would be. It was crazy, he pushed me to the limit and forced me to put the ball in the right place all the time. If not, he would make me run or hit a winner. That pressure was the key to the game.”

“It’s been a great tour,” Alcaraz said. “Winning in Beijing was incredible, and here in Shanghai I went further than last year, which is positive. I’m a little disappointed by today’s loss because I wanted to advance further and play against Jannik [Sinner] in the semifinals, but that’s tennis. Overall, I love China and I am proud of my performance.”