Nadal speaks up to defend Alcaraz: His achievements speak for themselves!

This year, Alcaraz showed remarkable control on the court, even gaining Nadal’s strong endorsement. He secured eight titles, among them two Grand Slams and three Masters 1000 events, amassing 12,050 points and a 71-9 record to reclaim the top ranking in the world and conclude the season as the year-end No. 1. Although he faced some early exits in tournaments like Miami and Paris, these setbacks did not overshadow his overall success. However, when doubts about his consistency arose, Nadal did not ignore them.

In an interview with AS, journalist Nacho Albarrán asked Nadal whom he identifies with more between today’s two top players—Sinner and Alcaraz. Nadal’s response was straightforward: “Neither.” Yet, he took the opportunity to clarify a common misconception about Alcaraz.

“Sometimes Carlos may seem a bit scattered, but if you look at the results... he has played an extremely steady and solid season in all the major tournaments. That’s why I find it funny when I hear people say he’s ‘all over the place’: the results actually prove the opposite.”

Indeed, Alcaraz has been anything but unstable this year. While his playing style can sometimes appear more free-spirited or even somewhat chaotic compared to Sinner’s more meticulous approach, he is a player who knows how to raise his level at crucial moments. Some criticism comes from a previous season when he failed to win Grand Slams like the Australian Open and US Open.

Compared to those early seasons, winning matches in 2024 became tougher for Alcaraz. He suffered early defeats in multiple tournaments and lost to Djokovic in the Olympic men’s singles final, missing out on the gold medal—a defeat that clearly affected him deeply. Afterwards, he was also eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 ATP Finals.

But this year’s story is completely different. As Nadal pointed out, Alcaraz bounced back strongly, doubling his number of titles with remarkable consistency. However, the 2026 season might bring new challenges for him.

He will enter a new phase without his long-time coach Ferrero by his side. The two parted ways on December 17, reportedly due to contract issues. Neither side revealed specific details, but Ferrero confirmed the split was related to contractual disagreements. Currently, Alcaraz will be coached by Samuel López for the new season. So, what about Rafa? Could he possibly coach this young talent in the future?

This is a question Nadal is often asked, and he has finally shared some thoughts about life after retirement. The Spanish star retired last November and now seems content with this new chapter in his life. When the topic turned to coaching, Nadal’s stance was very clear.

“I always show the utmost respect for what might happen in the future because how you feel today isn’t necessarily how you’ll feel in a few years,” Nadal said. “Life keeps changing, especially once you have young children: your perspective on life evolves over time.”

He also firmly ruled out a full-time return to the tour lifestyle, saying, “Constant traveling over a long period? I don’t think that will happen. Coaching means that, and right now it doesn’t fit my life. Captain of the Davis Cup team in the future? Why not? I might enjoy it... or maybe not. I just retired, so it’s too early to talk about these things.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)