Spain’s tennis icons, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, have often praised each other publicly, highlighting the respect and admiration between generations. Current World No.1 Alcaraz has frequently referred to Nadal as a true idol and inspiration, while the 22-time Grand Slam champion has lauded Alcaraz at every opportunity.
The latest instance took place at the AS Legends Award ceremony in Spain, where organizers honored Nadal for his two-decade-long career, during which he captured over 90 career tour titles.
Nadal Hails Alcaraz as “Spectacular”
During the event, Nadal spoke to the media about the next generation of Spanish tennis. When asked about Alcaraz, Nadal had nothing but praise:
“I see him as spectacular. How else would we see him? I don’t tend to expect too much, I’ve always seen him as very good, with the potential to make history in our sport. 22 Grand Slams? Why not? Six is already a lot, and he has a spectacular trajectory.”
Nadal also stressed the importance of health and fitness for Alcaraz, advising him to avoid injuries:
“The most important thing is that he doesn’t get injured. If you don’t have injuries, I think you also don’t lose confidence in your body, and that feeds back into you.”
The Need for Stronger Competition
Since retiring last year at the Davis Cup, a tournament in which both Nadal and Alcaraz were a part of team Spain, Nadal has continued to share insights about the current tennis landscape, dominated by Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
While Roger Federer suggested earlier this year that part of the “SinCaraz” dominance comes from tournament organizers slowing down surfaces for the top two players, Nadal believes it is more about the lack of elite challengers:
“I think Sinner and Alcaraz need someone to push them. They need someone to challenge them a bit because they’ve established themselves above everyone else, and in any form, they can beat anyone, until they face that other player. Those of us watching from the outside have the feeling that even if they play poorly, they’ll keep winning and reaching every final.”
Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominance over the last two seasons has been so amplified that not only have they split the eight Major titles, but in every tournament draw where the two were present in 2025, the title ended up being won by one of them. With no clear third challenger at their level, 2026 may feel much the same, despite history suggesting otherwise.
Main Photo Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images