Carlos Alcaraz, who partnered Rafael Nadal in doubles in Paris 2024, had a rich tribute for the record 14-time French Open winner.
Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal’s doubles partner in Paris 2024, paid tribute to the record 14-time French Open winner. He told ESPN, “It was a privilege for me to see Rafa’s final moments. We’re playing Olympic doubles with him. It was a masterclass for me.
“I tried to learn and enjoy every single second I was alongside him at the Olympic Games. Sharing off the court moments, talking with him about tennis. About life. I tried to take some advice and lessons I could learn from that moment.
“Obviously the Davis Cup, his last moment on court, it was special. It was special for me. It was special for everyone.
“Someone like Rafa retired from tennis. It was difficult to accept that my idol is not gonna play professional matches again. At the same time, I tried to enjoy that moment,” he added.
Nadal was ranked world No. 1 in singles for 209 weeks and finished the year as No. 1 five times. Throughout his illustrious career, he won 22 Grand Slam singles trophies and an Olympic gold medal. His 81 consecutive clay victories are the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.
Following Nadal’s retirement, only Djokovic remains in the Big Three, which also included Roger Federer. Nadal played Djokovic 60 times, more than any other pair in the Open Era. The Spaniard leads 11-7 in Grand Slams but lags 29-31 overall. Meanwhile, he has faced Federer 40 times and leads 24-16 overall, including 10-4 in Grand Slam matchups.
