Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken the tennis world by storm with their drastic improvements over the past few years. Despite all the success that the two youngsters have witnessed on the ATour, Rafael Nadal still believes that things haven’t “changed much” as the Spaniard shed light on the success the 36-year-old Novak Djokovic has witnessed. Reacting to his humble response, enthusiasts ask Nadal to give himself some more credit.
Ahead of the Madrid Open 2024, Rafael Nadal was asked to comment on the rise of the players from the next generation. Responding to the reporter who asked Rafa if the current level of tennis was at its peak, the 22-time Grand Slam winner spoke glowingly about how Novak Djokovic played in the 2023 season. After acknowledging the success that the sensational young talents have witnessed, the King of Clay believed that “things haven’t changed”.
“I don’t know. No idea. Of course, they are amazing players, but at the same time, if we put in perspective that Novak Djokovic won three of four Grand Slams and played the final of another one, I mean he’s from my generation. So of course, they are doing amazing things. But on the other hand, a player of my generation… still having a lot of success. That says that tennis has amazing new champions, but at the same time things haven’t changed that much,” Nadal said.
Nadal answered the shocking question in a respectful manner. The Big 3 era – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic – of tennis, dominated the sport like no one could even imagine. Over a span of two decades, the three megastars collected $447 million in prize money, won a combined total of 66 Grand Slams, and have been ranked World No.1 for nearly 18 years.
Yes, the next generation of tennis players, led by Alcaraz and Sinner, are an impressive bunch of athletes. However, even questioning whether they have already increased the level of tennis is an absurd thought to have.
Appreciating Nadal’s response, implying that Novak Djokovic was still the best player on the ATP Tour, fans of the Serbian superstar were extremely appreciative. Additionally, these same fans also pointed out the Raging Bull’s success in the recent past. In 2022, in his 36th year, Nadal had impressively clinched 2 Grand Slam titles (Australian Open and the French Open) apart from making it to the semifinals of Wimbledon and Round of 16 at the US Open.
Rafael Nadal Is Prepared to Test the Youngsters at Madrid Open 2024
Being away from tournaments for a significant time, Rafael Nadal finally returned to the clay court surfaces a week ago during the Barcelona Open 2024. However, his dream return was cut short by Alex de Minaur in the second round.
Following the loss to the Aussie, the Mallorca native confirmed his availability for the Madrid Open 2024 and the Italian Open 2024.
Rafa began the Spanish-based ATP Masters 1000 tournament by defeating 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch, 6-1, 6-0 in the first round. The 22-time Grand Slam champion will take on Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur in the second round and could set himself up for a third round match against USA’s Frances Tiafoe.
