"It's great, honestly, to have such a star from my country" - Rafael Nadal on Carlos Alcaraz ahead of Indian Wells SF showdown
Rafael Nadal has lavished praise on compatriot Carlos Alcaraz ahead of their semi-final meeting at the Indian Wells Masters, calling him "unstoppable."
The King of Clay reached the last four of the Indian Wells Masters after beating Nick Kyrgios in three sets on Thursday. He will next meet Alcaraz, who reached his maiden Masters 1000 semifinal after defeating reigning champion Cameron Norrie in straight sets.
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In his post-match press conference, Nadal was effusive in his praise for Alcaraz, saying that the teenager had "all the ingredients."
"I think he's unstoppable in terms of his career," Nadal said. "He has all the ingredients. He has the passion. He has the, he's humble enough to work hard. No, he's a good guy. He remembers me a lot of things than when I was 17- or 18-years-old kid. I think he has the passion. He has the talent and the physical component, which is great."
While labeling his compatriot a "rival," the 21-time Major winner spoke with pride about the "star from my country" and felt Alcaraz would be fighting for the big titles for many years to come.
"And I am super happy, even, of course it's going to be a great rival for now and for the next couple of months, without a doubt. But thinking and being selfish, it's great, honestly, to have such a star from my country, because we, for the tennis lovers, we're going to keep enjoy an amazing player fighting for the most important titles for the next, I don't know how many years, a lot of years," he said.
"That's my feeling, from my point of view. That's fantastic for the tennis lovers and he's a countryman and he's a great guy. So I like him. I wish him all the very best. Probably not after tomorrow he plays against me, but in general."
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will meet for the second time
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will meet for the second time when they square off in the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters. The last time they faced each other was in the third round of the Madrid Masters last year, with the former World No. 1 handing Alcaraz a 6-1, 6-2 beatdown on his 18th birthday.
This time, the match is expected to be a lot more competitive given Alcaraz's rapid development. The King of Clay will be seeking his fourth title on the trot this season but will face a stern test from the newest star in the game.