Zimbabwe: Alcaraz, Sinner Pay Tribute to ‘Unbelievable’ Legend

Carlos Alcaraz said hearing about his fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal’s retirement yesterday was “painful” while world No 1 Jannik Sinner said it was “tough news” for tennis.

Nadal announced earlier that he will step back from tennis after the Davis Cup finals in November, ending his 22-Grand Slam winning career. “When I watched it, it was tough to accept it. I was in shock a little bit,” said Alcaraz after he was knocked out of the Shanghai Masters in the last eight. “To see him leave tennis, which is what he loves, is painful, it hurts me,” the 21-year-old, who will play with Nadal in the Davis Cup in Spain, added. “I will try to make the most of the time I will be with him . . . to take advantage of his last moments on court as a professional.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion said Nadal had always been his idol, and it was thanks to him he had become a professional tennis player. He paid tribute “to everything he has done for tennis, for all the people, for me”. Sinner commented: “He’s an unbelievable person.” The 23-year-old added: “He taught us young players how to behave on the court, how to handle situations on the court. Also to stay humble at the same time, not changing with his success.

“It’s tough news for all the tennis world and not only (the tennis world).”

The 38-year-old Nadal is set to end his two decades as a professional with 92 titles and prize money alone of $135 million.

Despite his record-breaking career, Nadal was plagued by injuries, a painful by-product of his all-action, brutal-hitting style.

“Everything has a beginning . . . and also an ending,” said Sinner. “Only he knows how he feels. It’s a tough one.”

It has been suggested that Sinner’s rivalry with Alcaraz could be the new era version of Nadal’s ‘Big Three’ battles with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is still in the Shanghai race, and will take on Czech teenager Jakub Mensik in the quarter-finals today. “There are a lot of things we can take from them,” said Sinner of the three veterans. “We cannot compare us with them. That’s impossible, especially in this moment now.” — SuperSport.