Nadal defeated by ‘animal’ Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia as career nears end

AFP | Riyadh                                                     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: hussainm@newsobahrain.com

Rafael Nadal admitted his fitness level was well off the tour’s top players after falling Thursday in straight sets to fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who described the exhibition match as “a little bit sad”.

The 38-year-old Nadal, who announced last week he would retire from tennis after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next month, lost 6-3, 6-3 to 21-yearold Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the “Six Kings Slam” event in Saudi Arabia.

Afterwards he described Alcaraz, winner of the French Open and Wimbledon this year, as an “animal” and acknowledged he was not competing at the highest level.

“I have not much pressure here. I’m just trying to have fun,” he told a post-match press conference. “I know I’m going to play against players that... are in much better shape than me because they are on the professional tour and winning tournaments.”

Alcaraz said he knew the Saudi crowd was against him but wanted to let Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slams including 14 French Open titles, bask in the support.

“It’s a little bit sad... It was not a really comfortable moment for me.

Obviously I really wanted to win,” said Alcaraz. “Once you step on the court it’s no friends, no idols” but “I think this is his moment right now,” he added.

Prior to Thursday’s match Nadal had made his last singles appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris where his campaign was cut short by old rival Novak Djokovic in the second round.

He had also teamed-up with Alcaraz in men’s doubles at the Games and may reprise that role at the Davis Cup Finals.

Nadal will play Djokovic again on Saturday after the Serbian great lost a much tighter match to Australian Open and US Open champion Jannik Sinner, who prevailed 6-2, 6-7 (0/7), 6-4 and will take on Alcaraz in the final.