Rafael Nadal has been representing Spain all over the world for the last 2 decades thanks to his amazing results. Fortunately, with Rafa approaching the last part of his immense career, Spanish tennis fans will have the opportunity to cheer for another compatriot: Carlos Alcaraz.
At just 19 years of age, Carlito has already won 5 titles at ATP levels, and he is currently ranked no.2 in the YTD rankings after Rafael Nadal.
Even if his style is rather different, Alcaraz is constantly compared to Rafeal Nadal because of his nationality, grit, and precocity. However, being compared with such a big legend is not great for a youngster as the expectations may become unrealistic. During a recent press conference in Rome, Nadal said that it would be better to stop this comparison.
“The only thing we can do is enjoy the career of an amazing player like Carlos and it will be better, even if it’s interesting, that you stop comparing him to me. If he is able to win 25 Grand Slams, it’s going to be amazing for him and our country and I will be happy for him, but let’s let him enjoy his personal career,” said Nadal.
“I enjoyed my personal career and I think I am super happy with the way I was able to manage my tennis career and it’s his moment now to manage his personal career the way he wants it.
We cannot be all the time thinking about how I was and how he is today. He is what he is, and he is fantastic and probably in 2004 I will not say about myself that I was fantastic, but I think I was quite good too,” he added.
Nadal in Rome, ranking, and results in 2022
At the moment ranked no.4, Rafael has managed to achieve a 23-2 match record in 2022. The Spaniard is competing in Rome where he ousted John Isner 6-3 6-1.
Rafael Nadal will play the world no.16 Denis Shapovalov in the 3rd round on Thursday at 7:00 pm on CENTER COURT. Their head to head is 4-1 for Nadal.
The Spaniard conquered 3 titles in 2022 in Melbourne, at the Australian Open and in Acapulco. Rafael was the runner-up in Indian Wells (BNP Paribas Open).
Nadal won 91 titles in his career: 24 on hard courts, 62 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 4 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Carlos Alcaraz in 2022
WWWWWWWWWW Ranked no.6 (career-high), Alcaraz played his last match on the 8th of May when he beat world no.3 Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-1 in the final in Madrid to win his 5th career title.
This year the Spaniard has managed to achieve a composed 28-3 record. The Spaniard conquered 4 titles in 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, in Miami, in Barcelona and in Madrid.
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz fought against each other 3 times. Their actual head to head record is 2-1 for Nadal. Before, the last time they squared off, Carlos Alcaraz won 6-2 1-6 6-3 in the quarter in Madrid (Mutua Madrid Open) on the 6th of May 2022.
In the following video you can watch the key moments of their match.
Shapovalov in Rome, ranking, and results in 2022
LWWWLWWWWL Now ranked no.16, Denis has an overall 15-8 match record in 2022. Denis is currently playing in Rome where he toppled Lorenzo Sonego 7-65 3-6 6-3 and Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4 7-65.
Denis Shapovalov will compete against the world no.4 Rafael Nadal in the 3rd round on Thursday at 7:00 pm on CENTER COURT. Their current record is 4-1 for Nadal.
Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Denis Shapovalov |
| Embed from Getty Images |
