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Rafael Nadal praises Carlos Alcaraz and disagrees with what some say about him, ‘makes no sense’

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are statistically the two greatest Spanish tennis players of all time. The former won 22 Grand Slam titles and held the number-one ranking for 209 weeks.

Published: Tuesday, 13 October 2026 at 9:00 AM
Rafael Nadal praises Carlos Alcaraz and disagrees with what some say about him, ‘makes no sense’
Key Things to Know
  • Rafael Nadal rejected describing Carlos Alcaraz as a prospect, calling him an established legend with seven Grand Slam titles.
  • Alcaraz recently suffered an upset loss to Belgium's Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Masters, falling 5-7, 6-7.
  • The 23-year-old Spaniard faces the risk of finishing the season without a Masters 1000 title unless he wins Paris.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Rafael Nadal praised Carlos Alcaraz during an event supporting the Rafa Nadal Foundation, dismissing labels describing the 23-year-old as merely a future prospect. Nadal stated that calling Alcaraz a prospect makes no sense given his seven Grand Slam titles, asserting that his Spanish compatriot is already an established tennis legend.

The praise follows Alcaraz's recent campaign in China, where he suffered an unexpected straight-sets defeat to Belgium's Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Masters. Alcaraz will next compete at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia before heading to the Paris Masters in November.

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