The firm promise of Spanish tennis Carlos Alcaraz, 17, has undergone his first training session with the personal and world reference Rafa Nadal, who is twice his age (34). This Saturday, in the John Cain Arena de Melbourne Park, have worked their next premiere at the Australian Open, on Tuesday, February 9.
For Rafa Nadal it is his sixteenth appearance in the first Grand Slam of the season, which he won in 2009. He is in the quartet of favorites alongside the eight-time champion Novak Djokovic, the last finalist and executioner of the manacorí Dominic Thiem and the ‘teacher’ Daniil Medvedev, on a roll since October of the previous year.
Alcaraz will debut in the Grand Slam after winning a place in the previous phase held, due to the pandemic, in Doha (Qatar). He was unlucky enough to travel on one of the three charter flights in which there were positive cases of Covid-19, so he was unable to leave the hotel room during the fourteen days of quarantine.
This did not prevent Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil from advancing a couple of rounds in the ATP Great Ocean Road Open, leaving his mark with a spectacular victory over first seed and top-15 David Goffin. Alcaraz, 146th ATP, won 6-3 and 6-3, falling in the round of 16 against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.
Nadal, who has not lined up in the ATP Cup To protect his lower back, he has been working regularly. At maximum intensity, according to the usual plan prior to a Grand Slam, he faced the appointment with Alcaraz, in the afternoon in Melbourne, hours after Spain lost 0-3 to Italy on the same stage.
“Thank you Rafa Nadal for training with me (…) Very happy to have enjoyed this unique experience,” tweeted Carlos Alcaraz, who had already trained at Wimbledon 2019 with Roger Federer.
The Murcian will open his career in Grand Slam, once he failed to pass the Roland Garros 2020 preview, against the Dutch Botic Van de Zadschulp, nº 159. Rafa Nadal has an appointment with the Serbian Laszlo Djere.
