![\"Investiture](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Rafael-Nadal-doctorate-6823687.jpg\" "\\"Investiture")
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Rafael Nadal has had his say after Carlos Alcaraz lost early in Miami (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n
Carlos Alcaraz<\/a> started the 2026 season on a high, completing the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, and then winning the ATP 500 event in Doha. He went unbeaten across his first 16 matches of the year before his run finally ended in the Indian Wells semi-finals,<\/a> where he was ousted by Daniil Medvedev<\/a>.<\/p>\n Then, the world No. 1 suffered a shock early defeat at the Miami Open<\/a>, winning just one match before losing to Sebastian Korda. It\u2019s the second successive year that Alcaraz has had a disappointing run at the Hard Rock Stadium \u2013 12 months ago, he lost his opening match to David Goffin.<\/p>\n Following his 16-match winning streak to start the season, Alcaraz has now lost two of his last three matches. The 22-year-old broke to stay in the match when Korda served for it in set two, and even forced a decider. But the world No. 36 held his nerve to claim a 6-3 5-7 6-4 victory, while Alcaraz looked flustered and continued exchanging words with his team throughout the match.<\/p>\n However, fellow Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal<\/a> believes Alcaraz\u2019s recent defeats are no cause for concern. The retired 22-time Grand Slam champion was quizzed over Alcaraz\u2019s third-round exit in Miami, and bluntly said there was nothing to worry about.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, when he\u2019s just come off winning the Australian Open<\/a>, he\u2019s won seven Grand Slams, he\u2019s No. 1 in the world\u2026 So, what? Is he supposed to win all of the matches of the year? That\u2019s never going to happen. So there\u2019s your answer,\u201d Nadal said, addressing the media after he received an honorary doctorate from the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid.<\/p>\n A former world No. 1, Olympic gold medallist, and multi-Grand Slam champion, Nadal knows better than anyone what it is to deal with the pressure and expectation of being Spain\u2019s top tennis star. And the 39-year-old wants the tennis world to lay off Alcaraz.<\/p>\n Carlos Alcaraz has lost two of his last three matches (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n \u201cAre we really going to worry about two defeats? I don\u2019t think so. That doesn\u2019t make sense, and we shouldn\u2019t demand more from him,\u201d he added. \u201cI think what we all have to do is just congratulate Carlos and thank him for everything that he\u2019s accomplishing.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the end, he\u2019s bringing a number of achievements to Spanish sport that, maybe 25 or 30 years ago, we wouldn\u2019t have imagined. Maybe we\u2019ve all gotten too used to it. But I\u2019ve never lost perspective on how difficult the things are that Carlos is doing \u2013 or any athlete from Spain, or any other country.\u201d<\/p>\n While Alcaraz lost early in Miami, one of Nadal\u2019s proteges is causing a stir at the Hard Rock Stadium. World No. 151 Martin Landaluce, a Rafa Nadal<\/a> Academy alum, has come through qualifying to reach his first tour-level quarter-final. The Spaniard took out two top-20 seeds, Luciano Darderi and Karen Khachanov, and then stunned Alcaraz\u2019s conqueror, Korda, in the fourth round.<\/p>\n And the 20-year-old qualifier credits Nadal and the academy for his success. Landaluce explained: \u201cI’ve been training at Rafa\u2019s place since I was 14, so I\u2019ve definitely adopted part of his mentality, especially that typically Spanish fighting spirit. The fact of observing him, playing with him, talking and receiving his advice, but also seeing him train every day, all of that has left a huge mark on me.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Carlos](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Carlos-Alcaraz-Miami-Open-6823690.jpg\" "\\"Carlos")
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