"It's a shame" - Carlos Alcaraz rues Rafael Nadal's retirement despite being excited to play Spaniard for one last time in Six Kings Slam
Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday set up a semifinal showdown with Rafael Nadal at the Six Kings Slam. He came through a straightforward 6-3, 6-2 win over Holger Rune to progress further in the exhibition event.
Nadal, along with fellow multi-Slam winner Novak Djokovic, had been given a direct entry into the event being played at The Venue in Saudi Arabia’s capital city of Riyadh.
Alcaraz was asked during his on-court interview about the possibility of taking on Nadal in one of his final matches given his impending retirement. He recalled watching Nadal play when he had just picked up tennis.
The Spaniard said:
“Yeah. I watched [Rafael Nadal's] matches since I started playing. I look up to him. I grew up watching him... He was my idol. He’s still my idol. It’s a shame he announced he’s retiring."
Describing Nadal as a “really important person” for his own career, Alcaraz said his retirement is bound to have an impact on the tour.
Shifting his focus to their impending semifinal showdown at the Six Kings Slam, the Spaniard said he felt privileged to play Nadal in one of his final matches. He said:
"A really important person for my life, for my career. [Rafael Nadal] was one of the reasons I wanted to become a tennis player. Knowing he’s retiring is tough for everyone.
"For me. It’s a privilege playing against him once again. It’s gonna be tough for me. I’ll enjoy sharing the court with him once again. It’s really difficult for everyone."
Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz anchor bottom half of Six Kings Slam
Carlos Alcaraz’s Asian swing had gotten off to a great start as he lifted the China Open title by beating Jannik Sinner in the final. The Spaniard was also steady in his win over Holger Rune and will look to keep the momentum going.
Anchoring the bottom half of the draw is Rafael Nadal, who has only managed sporadic play through most of the year.
This exhibition will be the fourth time Alcaraz and Nadal will lock horns. The Spaniard leads his opponent in the current head-to-head by a slender 2-1 margin. They, however, have not played each other since 2022.