Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz congratulate F1 star Carlos Sainz on Spaniard's Australian Grand Prix win post surgery
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz were on hand to congratulate fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz after the Ferrari driver's win at the 2024 F1 Australian GP.
Sainz missed the Saudi Arabian GP earlier this month after he was diagnosed with appendicitis. He underwent surgery and returned in time to race in Melbourne.
Sainz recorded his third F1 GP win since joining the Prancing Horse, beating his teammate Charles Leclerc by just over two seconds. Ferrari registered a memorable 1-2 at the Australian GP while McLaren's Lando Norris rounded off the podium.
After the race, both Nadal and Alcaraz both took to their Instagram accounts to congratulate Sainz. The 37-year-old Spaniard shared Sainz's post-win Instagram post and added several clapping emojis and the Spanish flag.
Alcaraz reshared the same post from the Ferrari driver and wrote:
"Grande Carlos! Enhorabuena! vaya carrera [Great Carlos! Congratulations! what a race]"
Check out their messages below:
Sainz is notably the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race since the start of last season, doing so twice. He has named Nadal as one of his idols growing up and also congratulated Alcaraz on his Indian Wells Masters triumph this month.
What next for Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz on the ATP Tour?
Rafael Nadal has been out of action since the Brisbane International in January this year. He beat Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler before losing to Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals, where he seemingly suffered a tear in his muscle.
Nadal hasn't returned to action since and withdrew from the Indian Wells Masters earlier this month. He isn't playing at the Miami Open either but there is hope that he features at the Monte-Carlo Masters, scheduled to take place from 7-14 April.
Nadal has been training on clay recently, which has given fans hope that the 22-time Grand Slam winner will return to the court in April. Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, is still alive in Miami and on course to win the Sunshine Double.
Alcaraz won the 2024 Indian Wells Masters, beating Daniil Medvedev in the final before downing compatriot Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round in Miami. The World No. 2 is now set to face France's Gael Monfils in the Round of 32.
The title in Indian Wells was also the 20-year-old's first since his memorable triumph at Wimbledon last year. He also boasts an impressive 13-3 win-loss record in 2024 so far.