Once more, Rafa Nadal is back. The former world No. 1 returned to the tennis scene for the second time this year, having competed at the Brisbane Open in January.
In the Netflix Slam exhibition match held in Las Vegas, he displayed excellent tennis against fellow countryman Carlos Alcaraz.
In a match where many questioned Nadal’s condition, the favorite Alcaraz was nearly defeated by the Spanish player, who acknowledged that 2024 might be his final year as a professional.
Nonetheless, the 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner appeared to have reversed the progress with his outstanding display at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.
The younger and fresher player prevailed in the second set, but the super tie-break was as exciting as it gets. In the first set, he was the superior player, not letting Carlitos break his serve.
After winning the third and final set 14–12, the star from Murcia ultimately prevailed. Nadal demonstrated the tenacity and willpower that have contributed to his success over the years by preserving up to five match points.
It’s likely that the Nadal-Alcaraz match was even better than many fans had anticipated. The legend from Manacor has not been spotted on the court since he was defeated by Jordan Thompson in Brisbane due to a muscular ailment that prevented him from returning to the game.
Nadal’s confidence was likely bolstered by the encounter against Juan Carlos Ferrero’s player, as the Spaniard was content with his performance despite suffering a setback after such a lengthy injury.
After three meetings between the two players, Nadal has prevailed 2-1 in their head-to-head match, although Alcaraz has improved with each encounter.
After the match, Rafael Nadal said, It’s a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times.”
As a fan, I hope to continue enjoying his work for a very long time! He’s quite the task. Totally distinct generations are involved. We should be ecstatic that someone like Carlos is visiting Spain, he declared.
He is a fantastic player. Even at the age of 20, he has already won two Slams and a few significant competitions, the man said.
Nadal had to delay his comeback because he wasn’t prepared to compete at the highest level. His initial goal was to be able to take part in the Qatar Open in Doha.
In just 13 months, he has participated in just two tournaments. In 2023, he missed all of the Australian Open due to an injury.
I have no idea how I am. It’s been a while since I performed a set. Before facing Alcaraz, he discussed his prospects in Indian Wells: I’ve had better and worse times.
Being present is what matters most to me. It’s already fantastic news if I’m here, he continued.
Beyond the outcomes, the objective was to play Indian Wells and Las Vegas two weeks ago, and I’m getting closer to that aim now.
It’s not the most crucial thing to worry about today, but I’m not sure what level I’ll be at in Indian Wells. Spending a few days at Indian Wells training with experts is crucial, in Nadal’s opinion.
Nadal also acknowledged that, after missing several weeks of activity, he is not satisfied with the way he is returning to competition:
It was a poor preparation for Indian Wells and a good one for Brisbane. Between this Sunday’s match and the final three days before my debut, I intend to play a set.
