"Good result for Rafa to lose" - Jim Courier on Rafael Nadal's QF loss to Carlos Alcaraz in Madrid
Former World No. 1 Jim Courier has said that Rafael Nadal's loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid Masters quarterfinals on Friday could be a blessing in disguise for the Spaniard.
The five-time champion was slow off the blocks as Alcaraz grabbed the opener for the loss of just two games. Nadal roared back into the contest, dropping only one game in the second to force a decider. However, Alcaraz recovered his mojo to beat his illustrious rival for the first time and book a blockbuster semifinal with top seed Novak Djokovic.
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Despite the loss, Nadal, in his first competitive tournament in six weeks, logged over seven hours of court time in three matches in the Spanish capital.
In a post-match discussion on Tennis Channel, Courier said the 35-year-old has got a much-needed break ahead of Rome, where conditions will be similar to Roland Garros.
"I think, on many levels, this is a good result for Rafa to actually lose this match on a couple of levels, said Courier." "He gets four days off to play at Rome, which is at sea-level, which much more mimics what he'll face at Roland Garros from a conditions standpoint. And he gets a chance now to regroup, hopefully, kind of reassess where he is, knowing that his rib is no longer a problem."
"All things considered, good week for Rafa" - Jim Courier on Rafael Nadal
During the same discussion, Jim Courier stated that Rafael Nadal's foot might not be in optimum condition and could trouble him in the coming weeks. He added that there were reports of the Spaniard hobbling to his press conference.
"How's his foot? That's a question. I wasn't sure his foot was going to feel good after the 2-hour match today, 3-hour match yesterday. Rumours that he was hobbling around to his press conference. We know that's going to be a present problem for him, ongoing."
Nevertheless, the American added that Nadal should be satisfied with his exploits in the Spanish capital.
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"I think all things considered, good week for Rafa. Came out, got some match toughness, found out his rib could hold up, and now he's pointing towards Rome and Roland Garros."
Nadal is set to defend his title next week in Rome, where he's a record 10-time champion.