Carlos Alcaraz’s injury and subsequent withdrawal from this year’s Roland Garros is the biggest blow that the sport has suffered in recent years, with arguably its biggest star forced to watch from the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner has won everything in his wake, with the gulf between him and the rest of the field so vast.
Men’s tennis seemingly needs the seven-time Grand Slam champion just to provide some much-needed competition to his legendary domination, and yet we are set to go without it at least until the grass-court season.
Rafael Nadal is certainly a Spaniard who knows all about dealing with injury setbacks, and is the latest to provide his insight into this blow.
Rafael Nadal gives his honest thoughts on Carlos Alcaraz’s injury
Chatting with RNE Deportes at the opening of his new museum, Nadal could not escape facing the public without discussing Alcaraz’s ongoing injury troubles.
After all, as one of the most notable players to have been plagued with so many physical ailments, he will be hoping that his compatriot does not follow in his footsteps.
Fortunately, Nadal was confident that the 23-year-old was making the correct decisions to avoid such a fate, stating: “Well, he has enough experience, he’s not playing anymore. He knows things happen, obviously, and it’s a big setback that’s happened to him.
How worried are you about Carlos Alcaraz’s injury?
Carlos Alcaraz will miss Rome and Roland Garros…
“I think at this stage he’s a very complete player, winning everywhere, right? But, well, I think where he has the most ability to make a difference, in my opinion, is during the clay court season, right? So, what’s happened to him during this time of year? Well, I think it’s tough, but he’s still very young.
“The things you can ask for, too. I mean, things that today you see as a huge drama, well, when you put them in perspective, you know? A different kind of injury comes along, and I think luckily it’s not going to be chronic, right?
“I don’t think so. I think he’s made the right decisions, taking into account that he’s very young, that he has a whole career ahead of him, and he’s getting the treatment he needs because it’s something I know well, because I suffered this injury twice, the same thing he’s broken now, the problem he has with his wrist.”
Nadal concluded by revealing that Carlos Alcaraz came to him after sustaining the injury, but stopped short of revealing what they discussed: “Yes, I spoke with him when it happened, and what we talked about, that stays between us.”
Why Carlos Alcaraz’s situation differs from Rafael Nadal’s
There is a key distinction between Alcaraz’s current injury and the many that Nadal suffered throughout his career.
After all, the latter played through some of the most gruelling torment a player can receive, with foot, wrist, elbow and knee issues, just to name a few.
And yet, he only ever missed events when he absolutely had to.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, whilst still supremely dedicated to forging his own greatness and legacy, is taking a less-obsessive path than Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic took.
What would have happened if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played at the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, he explained as much: “I’m aware that I have so much ahead of me, and I try not to think that I have 12 or 15 years left of my career because I get overwhelmed.
“There’s been times in which I didn’t stop to take a break, and that led to me not playing well, or becoming injured, or…” he pauses. “Let’s just leave it at that, that it didn’t end well.”
He finished by insisting he refused to become a ‘slave to tennis’.
