Carlos Alcaraz makes telling comment about Rafael Nadal relationship – ‘I’ll shut up’
Carlos Alcaraz says he will “shut up and listen” to Rafael Nadal with the pair set to form a deadly doubles duo at the Olympics this month.
The 21-year-old two-time Wimbledon champion may have the world at his feet but when it comes to teaming up with fellow countryman and tennis icon Nadal, Alacaraz has made it clear that Rafa is the boss while he feels like the “rookie”. The tennis world erupted with excitement last month with the announcement that the duo will team up, and while Alcaraz has been open about his limited experience in the doubles arena, the team-up will no doubt be one of the highlights of the Olympic games.
Nadal previously won men’s singles gold at the 2008 Games and then gold again in the men’s doubles eight years later in Rio alongside Marc Lopez. The pair will also compete in the singles at the Olympics this year and the four-time Grand Slam winner predicts the nerves will come when the games begin.
“I’m not nervous right now. I’m sure I will be when the time comes closer,” Alcaraz told Mundo Deportivo. “And yes, obviously, he has already experienced this, he already knows what it’s like to play in the Olympics, to win gold in both singles and doubles. I’m new, I’m the rookie here, so I have to shut up and listen to him.”
Alcaraz’s preparations for the star-studded Olympic team-up will be almost non-existent with the youngster having a jam-packed schedule ahead of their doubles adventure. However, with the event taking place at Stade Roland Garros, both men should feel right at home.
Nadal has a record 14 singles titles at the French Open, while Alcaraz has just won the tournament for the first time. On whether he and Nadal will catch up ahead of the games, Alcaraz believes they will have little in the way of communication until they’re lining up alongside one another at the net.
“He has his own things, we have ours,” he said. “We talk a little bit, but when we’re actually at the Games, we will talk more about the doubles and, above all, how we’re going to do it.”
