Rafael Nadal may have some words of advice for Carlos Alcaraz, the Wimbledon winner who lost his cool in Cincinnati.
Rafael Nadal revealed in an interview nearly five years ago that his family would never have permitted him to shatter a racket on court. Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, was compelled to apologise for breaking his racket during his shocking second round loss to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Masters on Friday.
During his stellar career, Nadal has been in 30 Grand Slam finals, winning 22 of them.
But the Spaniard has always maintained his cool on the court and refused to let his emotions boil over, even in the most stressful situations.
In a 2019 interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Nadal was asked how many rackets he had broken. And he signaled the response by making a zero with his finger and thumb while smiling brightly.
He then added, “My family would never have permitted me to break a racket. For me, shattering a racket indicates that I am out of control of my emotions.”
Nadal’s reticence to express his rage suggests he may have some advice for Paris Olympics doubles partner Alcaraz.
The four-time Grand Slam winner smashed his racket in a rare outburst after failing to convert a break point in the third set against Monfils. During the outburst, he slammed his racket to the ground multiple times, and the umpire issued him a code violation.
Alcaraz, who had won the first set, was finally defeated 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.
After the match, he remarked, “I felt like I wanted to break the racket. It had never happened previously because I had control over myself in such situations and sentiments.
“Most of the time I could control myself and it could go better in the matches or in the situation that I’ve been feeling before.
“Today, I couldn’t control myself because, as I already stated, I felt as if I wasn’t playing any tennis. I believe that some, if not most, athletes lose control of themselves at times during their careers, and this was one of those times for me.
He then took to Instagram on Saturday, writing: “I want to sorry for my attitude yesterday; it was not good and should not have happened on the court. I’m human, nerves have gathered, and it can be difficult to regulate when there is stress. I will endeavor to ensure that it does not happen again.