Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are the top 2 Spanish players and the ATP Rankings leaders. Curiously, both had huge problems with the same injury: abdominal tear.

Rafael Nadal was not able to play the Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios because of his injury. The Spanish sensation tried everything he could to be fully fit for the American summer but he recently revealed that the issue was back during the US Open. Therefore, Nadal had to change the movement on his serve during the America major. That created all sorts of issues that made him not as competitive as he wished.

As reported by the Spanish outlet Marca, Nadal commented:

“[I had] Two breaks in the abdominal at Wimbledon and the week before the US Open. I had to return to make a serve that was not mine and in the end. It is what it is and you have to live with what you have.”

Carlos Alcaraz cannot compete in the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin also because of an abdominal injury that made him withdraw from the ATP1000 in Paris. He is in the process of recovering.

Rafael Nadal in 2022

Rafael Nadal

12 - 7win/loss

Hard

2-1

Clay

10-6

Rank
154

High
1

38 year old

LWLWWWWLLW

2024 Highlights

F

Bastad

QF

Brisbane

4th

Madrid

SEE ALL

Currently the world no.2, the Spaniard played his last match on the 2^nd of November when he lost to world no.29 Tommy Paul 3-6 7-6(4) 6-1 in the 2^nd round in Paris (draw).

Currently, during this season Rafael has a 38-6 win-loss record. Rafael clinched 4 titles in 2022 in Melbourne, Australian Open, Acapulco and French Open. Nadal got to the final in Indian Wells.

Paris

Nadal's Record

Carlos Alcaraz in 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

52 - 11win/loss

Hard

22-5

I Hard

5-1

Clay

17-4

Grass

8-1

Rank
3

High
1

21 year old

LWLWWWWWWW

2024 Highlights

W

Indian WellsFrench OpenWimbledonBeijing

F

Paris

SF

Buenos Aires

SEE ALL

At the moment ranked no.1, the Spaniard played his last match on the 4^th of November when he had to retire when playing against world no.10 Holger Rune in the quarter and the scoreline was 6-3 6-6 .

Presently, during this year Alcaraz has an overall 57-13 win-loss record. The Spaniard has won 5 titles in 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Barcelona, Madrid and U.S. Open. The Spaniard reached the final in Hamburg and in Umag.

Paris

Alcaraz's Record

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz played each other 3 times. Their head to head is 2-1 for Nadal. Previously, the last time they fought against each other, Carlos Alcaraz won 6-2 1-6 6-3 in the quarter in Madrid (Mutua Madrid Open) on the 6^th of May 2022.

In the following video you can watch the highlights.