Alcaraz’s success bid for Nadal shares new ‘dream’ after Wimbledon win | Tennis news

Not even a week has passed since Carlos Alcaraz won the biggest win of his career in the 2023 Wimbledon final. He beat seven-time winner Novak Djokovic to claim his maiden grass-court Slam and take his Major tally to two in addition to the 2022 US Open. With Alcaraz now gearing up for another challenge in his young career as he heads to the US Open as the defending champion, the Spaniard made a top pitch to Rafael Nadal while sharing his new ‘dream’.

Nadal has been sidelined since January when he injured his hip during his second-round loss at the Australian Open. He missed the entire clay and grass court season, including the French Open and Wimbledon, and will miss the US Open as well, recovering from hip surgery.

In a press conference at his academy in Spain in May, Nadal had revealed that 2024 could be his last professional year on the tour and that he plans to be part of the Spanish team for the Olympics in Paris.

Speaking to El Partidazo de Cope after his Wimbledon victory, Alcaraz revealed that he dreams of playing doubles with Nadal at the Olympics, where tennis events are held at Roland Garros, where the legend has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slams.

“It would be a dream to have a singles experience with your idol,” Alcaraz insisted. “We’ll see how he goes and how he goes, you know, this year. Hopefully he goes well, but it would be a dream for me to play doubles with him.”

Alcaraz has never played Nadal in any tennis event during his career, but the pair have faced each other on the ATP tour with the latter winning two of three meetings before the 20-year-old knocked him out in the quarters of the 2022 Madrid Open. They remain on very good terms with Alcaraz, who recently revealed the 37-year-old’s role in his win against Djokovic in the Wimbledon 2023 final.

He explained, “He [Nadal] sent me a message. First he sent it to wish me luck for the finals and I appreciate that. The fact that someone like him, my childhood idol and still is, sends you strength and happiness in the most important moment of your life is admirable.”