MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 5, 2021

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

R. NADAL/C. Alcaraz

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you describe what the atmosphere and feeling was like playing this afternoon in Manolo Santana Stadium in front of friends and family, a big crowd, playing against Carlos Alcaraz?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it have been great. Yeah, great feeling. Enjoyed a lot being back on this very important place in front of probably the most loyal crowd in the world for me. So I enjoyed playing in front of them.

Even if was not a comfortable start against a very young and great player like Carlos, I think I played a solid match and I did what I had to do to be through, no? So very happy about the performance today.

Q. How would you describe Carlos' game?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, he's playing very aggressive. He has a lot of potential. He's a young and good guy, so, I mean, he already has a great level of tennis today, but I really believe that he gonna be a fantastic player in the near future, no?

Yeah, I wish him all the very best. I mean, like Spanish player and like in Spanish fan, I really believe that we need somebody like him, and it's great to have him here.

Q. Next up is Alexei Popyrin. He's just had a very good win against Jannik Sinner. What are your thoughts to play Alexei?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, he has a huge serve, great forehand, young. Yeah, another tough opponent. But here we are in Masters 1000, so we can't expect another thing.

I hope to be ready to play well. That's what I gonna need every single day if I want to have chances to keep playing. Tomorrow is another tough battle. I hope to be ready.

Q. I wanted to ask you another question about Carlos. Could I ask you to give us a little more specifics about what it is about his game that you think shows promise for a good future for him? He's obviously still quite young, but what is it about his either style or shot-making that you think makes him seem like somebody who could have a good future in tennis?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, when somebody at his age is able to do the things that he's doing is because you have something special, no? And at the same time, he's humble enough to keep working. He's passionate about the game. So I really believe that he gonna be able to burn cycles very soon, very fast.

I really believe that he's a complete player. I mean, he's brave, he's able to go to the net very often. Great forehand, great backhand.

Of course needs to improve a little bit the serve, but he's just 18 today, so he has plenty of time. As I said, he's humble enough and he's a hard worker, so I don't have a doubt that he will do it, no? His movement is great.

I mean, when you make a salad and you are putting ingredients inside the salad, he has, I mean, plenty of ingredients to become a great player. That's the main thing. Then of course nothing is easy. You're gonna have big opponents in front. I mean, nothing is easy in this life. Be one of the best players in the world and fight for the most important titles is something very difficult, but I really believe that he's one of the guys that he can do it.