"It was arrogance but it wouldn't come across as that"- Carlos Alcaraz's former hitting partner recalls preparing him for a match against Rafael Nadal
Mike Digby, current coach of Tamara Zidansek, reflected on his time as a hitting partner for Carlos Alcaraz at the 2021 Madrid Open. He worked with the Spaniard ahead of his 'daunting' match against Rafael Nadal and highlighted how Alcaraz exuded remarkable confidence, making it clear that even then, he knew the 21-year-old belonged at the top level of the sport.
Digby, who was a hitting partner for Novak Djokovic, worked as a Practice Partner at the Madrid Open in 2021. He warmed up a teenage Alcaraz for a match against his idol and top seed at the event, Nadal.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Digby explained that Alcaraz had a unique "aura" and "presence," traits that hinted at his future greatness. He noted that even at such a young age, Alcaraz carried himself with the confidence of someone destined for the top.
"We talked about aura. He [Carlos Alcaraz] had this presence and aura, even at that age of like, ‘Yeah, this is where I'm going to be. This is where I belong. And I know I'm going to be here for the rest of my career,'" Digby said.
"It was the arrogance, but it wouldn't come across as that because he had to smile on his face and walk around saying hello to everyone. But it was, it was that sense of real confidence and arrogance around the way he was doing things," he added.
Mike Digby reveals how Carlos Alcaraz was oozing confidence ahead of his "daunting" match against Rafael Nadal
Mike Digby described the match against Rafael Nadal as a 'daunting' challenge. However, he highlighted how Carlos Alcaraz, despite his young age, exuded unwavering confidence.
"There's one thing that I remembered from that hour that we had is the amount of confidence that was oozing through the way he played at that age was not, I've never seen it before in my life. Just so secure. So, so comfortable in the environment and the surroundings that he was in," Mike Digby said in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.
"And you think Masters 1000 Madrid at 18, 19, it's daunting. And Nadal, right. And you're playing Nadal. It's daunting."
Carlos Alcaraz's match against his idol Rafael Nadal at the 2021 Madrid Open marked their first encounter on the tour. While Digby had high praise for the young Spaniard, Alcaraz faced a tough 6-1, 6-2 defeat.
They met again at Indian Wells in 2022, where Nadal triumphed in a closer battle, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. However, Alcaraz got his redemption later that year, defeating Nadal 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 in their Madrid Open rematch, cementing his rise in the tennis world.