Carlos Alcaraz explains what he learned from playing with Rafael Nadal at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Carlos Alcaraz is not the first player to have grown up idolising Rafael Nadal, nor will he be the last.

After all, despite the 22-time Grand Slam champion having retired last year, the legacy he has left behind is enough to provide generations with crucial advice and inspiration.

A hard-working, energetic, passionate superstar who arguably eclipsed the sport due to the levels he reached, 2024 saw him endure a farewell tour with every tournament he played.

However, perhaps the most emotional and intriguing moment for the neutral came at the Olympics, where he returned to the site of so many of his past triumphs to partner with Carlos Alcaraz.

Now, the 22-year-old has opened up on that experience.

Carlos Alcaraz praises Rafael Nadal ahead of Roland Garros

Speaking about Roland Garros, eventually attention had to return to Rafael Nadal, with the interviewer asking Alcaraz about his idol.

The question posed to him sought to pry what he admired most about the 38-year-old, to which the four-time Grand Slam champion quickly told Roland Garros’ website: ’His way of playing, his way of being on the court, his mentality, his love of the game. 

‘Rafa is an exceptional person, very humble. When you meet him for the first time, he’s just someone like you and me. It was really incredible to be so close to my idol, to learn by his side and also to rub shoulders with him as a person. I had an exceptional experience.

Alcaraz vs Nadal, date of first 4 Grand Slam titles

Then asked what he learned from his legendary compatriot, Alcaraz claimed: ’His way of apprehending a match, the passion with which he plays each match and how he also prepares for it. By playing doubles with him, I also learned how he handled certain situations and pressure. These are elements that will be very useful to me throughout my career.

‘He has been one of the best ambassadors of tennis, and I think his legacy will be eternal. He was probably one of the players who placed tennis at the top of the sport, at the top of the world. So it’s great to have had Rafa in tennis and at this time of my life.’

Similarly to how Roland Garros adopted Nadal as one of their own, Mats Wilander thinks the French Open crowd will support Alcaraz more than Jannik Sinner later this month.

It should come as no surprise that Alcaraz has a fondness for the French Open, given how many times he watched his idol lift the trophy.

And, having won his very first last year, the hope is that he too can usher in another era of Spanish dominance on Parisian clay to follow in his footsteps.

It is impossible to expect anyone to come close to the domination Nadal exhibited at Roland Garros, but if Alcaraz was to win the French Open this year he would have half the number that the 14-time champion did at the same age.

Crucially, the younger Spaniard already poses an all-court quality which makes him a threat in every major he plays. There’s every chance he could emulate what his legendary countryman did should he maintain this level.