Rafa Nadal gives a master lesson to Carlos Alcaraz | Mutua Madrid Open

The most anticipated generational duel in recent times was a birthday party for Carlos Alcaraz, although the undisputed magician and dominator was Rafael Nadal. The Balearic tennis player clearly prevailed (6-1, 6-2) to which he appears as his successor, in a match that had no history beyond the first game, and in which Alcaraz’s abdominal discomfort prevented the newcomer and talented Murcian celebrate his 18th birthday with a tennis performance. In return, Carlos takes a master lesson from the king of the earth that will be very useful in the present and the future.Nadal, educated to exhaustion but at the same time intimidating from minute one with the rivals, changed the chip given the crossing with Alcaraz, and acted as protector of the young Spanish talent before, during and after the game. Rafa had already been interested in Carlos in the previous hours and did the same during the field and service draw. The ovations were given by an audience, around 5,000 spectators, who hoped to enjoy their current idol and the one that has been cooking for the next decade. Alcaraz entered the game with the courage that an already established tennis player is expected, and not to a child who reaches the age of majority in those same hours. The Murcian consolidated his very complete tennis with backhand strokes that complemented a championship right hand. This cocktail placed him, first, with a breaking ball with the service of the king of the earth. It was unsuccessful. He had to continue rowing, but immediately afterwards, the physical nuance was going to put things uphill for Carlos. Abdominal discomfort forced Carlos, with only three games played, to request medical attention, backed by a Nadal who was once again acting as protector and unbeatable lad host.Fortunately, these physical problems did not go away and Alcaraz, although somewhat diminished, was able to continue in the game beyond the initial quarter hour. However, the blow had been hard and even more so with Rafa in front of him, who was not going to give an option in a first set that closed with 6-1 after threatening with the donut.Nadal does not give a choice.Carlos had recovered from the discomfort but Nadal, on the other side of the track, did not grant a slightest gap to glimpse victory options. Two unforced errors in seven games was the baggage of the world number two, who made the difference by showing a shoot that makes him optimistic with his chances for the next few weeks.The second set would take a similar look to the first, with Nadal superior in the exchanges and Alcaraz, at times, leaving great points that explain the hope in their possibilities for the future. Carlos can go very far, and he will if things do not go wrong, but despite the generational duel, the distance with Rafa is still sidereal, especially on clay, where making the five-time champion fail in Madrid is almost an impossible mission otherwise accompanies as much patience and inspiration as possible.The games fell again on the side of Nadal, who increased the pace and found his parallel right progressively, while Alcaraz won the spirits of an audience that, as an exception, encouraged the rival of his great idol. Carlos added a game and, saving Rafa’s first match point, protected his service before, inevitably, he had to give in to a Nadal who advances in the table waiting to know if Popyrin or Sinner is measured in the second round .