Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has extended a word of advice to Rafael Nadal’s latest opponent, 16-year-old Darwin Blanch. The young American is set to face the 22-time Grand Slam champion in only his second professional match, and the tennis world is buzzing with anticipation.
A Rising Star
Darwin Blanch, currently ranked just outside the top 1,000, has already made waves in the tennis world. Born in Florida but spending his early years in Thailand before moving to Argentina, Blanch’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. His training at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy in Alicante, Spain, has put him on the radar of tennis enthusiasts worldwide.
Alcaraz’s Encouragement
Carlos Alcaraz, himself a prodigious talent at just 20 years old, knows what it’s like to face Nadal. Three years ago, Alcaraz took on the veteran at the Madrid Open, with Nadal emerging victorious. Now, Alcaraz shares his wisdom with Blanch, urging him to savor the moment.
“I told him to enjoy it,” Alcaraz said. “Playing with Rafa, a legend, at Manolo Santana—it’s going to be a very special moment for him, which will undoubtedly help him in his career.”
Alcaraz also drew parallels to his own experience: “He is going to help you like he helped me in 2021. To grow, to experience something unique, to know how to deal with everything.”
Nadal’s Comeback
Rafael Nadal faced a hip injury in 2023, returning to the court after a year at January’s Brisbane International. However, another injury setback following his Australian Open third-round defeat kept him sidelined for three more months. His recent return at the Barcelona Open signals his determination to regain peak fitness ahead of the French Open—the first Grand Slam of the season.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2024
Currently the world no.3, Alcaraz played his last match on the 28th of March when he lost to world no.10 Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 6-4 in the quarter in Miami (draw).
This year Carlos has achieved a 15-4 match record. This year, Alcaraz won 1 tournament in Indian Wells.
Carlos Alcaraz will take on the world no.59 Alexander Shevchenko in the 2nd round. They have never competed against each other till now in top tournaments.
Carlos has won 1 title in 2024 in Indian Wells.
Alcaraz won 14 titles in his career: 4 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 2 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Alcaraz has scheduled to compete next in Rome (Internazionali BNL d’Italia). He will start to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 8th of May.
Rafael Nadal in 2024
Ranked no.512, Nadal played his last match on the 17th of April when he surrendered to world no.11 Alex De Minaur 7-5 6-1 in the 2nd round in Barcelona (draw).
Until now, during this year Rafael achieved a 3-2 win-loss record.
Rafael Nadal will compete against Darwin Blanch in the 1st round on Thursday at 5:00 pm on MANOLO SANTANA STADIUM. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.
The Spaniard won 92 titles in his career: 24 on hard courts, 63 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 4 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
He is also scheduled to play at the French Open (French Open) after Rome. The main draw will start on the 8th of May.
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal played each other 3 times. Their actual 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) in May 2022.
Here are the highlights.