Rafa Nadal addressed the media after sealing the ticket to the Indian Wells Masters 1000 semifinal by beating Nick Kyrgios (7-6, 5-7, 6-4) in nearly three hours of play. The Spaniard will dispute the pass to the final against Carlos Alcaraz, who beat the defending champion in California, Cameron Norrie (6-3 and 6-4). Nadal was full of praise for the Murcian, who predicts a future full of titles.
Rafa Nadal is still unstoppable, he added his 19th consecutive victory to advance to the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters 1000, where a historic duel between the most successful tennis player in history and the promising Carlos Alcaraz will take place. Both arrive in a great moment of form and are aware of the expectation that their meeting raises. The man from Manacor did not hesitate to extol the great qualities of Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil, before taking on the track this Saturday with the ticket at stake to the final of the first Masters 1000 of the season.
“He has never asked me any questions. He has a great team by his side. I think he’s unstoppable career-wise. It has all the ingredients. He has the passion. He is humble enough to work hard. He’s a good guy. It reminds me of a lot of things about me from when I was a kid of 17 or 18 years old. I think he has the passion. He has the talent and the physical component that is great . And I am super happy. He will be a great rival for now and for the coming months, without a doubt, “said Rafa Nadal, questioned about his opinion about the tennis player from El Palmar (Murcia).
“Thinking and being selfish, it’s great, honestly, to have such a star from my country, because we, for tennis lovers, are going to continue to enjoy an incredible player who will fight for the most important titles for the next, I don’t know how many. years, a lot of years. That is my feeling, from my point of view. That is fantastic for tennis lovers and he is a compatriot and a great guy. So I like it. Wish you all the best. Probably not tomorrow when he plays against me, but in general (laughs),” Nadal added, pleased to have a great relief in Spanish tennis and predicting a great future for Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil.
“Happy with the level”
Analyzing his match against Nick Kyrgios and questioned about the breaks he conceded in the third set, Rafa Nadal made a positive reading of the match in general and was happy with the level shown against the Australian. “Well, after a game of almost three hours, we can’t just talk about two points, no, because I don’t think it’s right to say it. I have played many important points during the game. Those two points would have been important. But we can talk a lot about different moments that change the dynamics of the game, “said the Spaniard.
“I think it was good. I’m happy to win, of course. Being in the semi-finals is great news for me again. Also happy for that third set, because it wasn’t easy after the end of the second, which was terrible for me. But I put up with it emotionally and mentally, I think I was ready to keep fighting. Very happy with the victory and of course happy with the level as a whole, “added Nadal.
Alcaraz responds to Nadal
After his victory against Cameron Norrie , current defender of the title in Indian Wells, Carlos Alcaraz went through a press conference and analyzed his confrontation against Rafa Nadal in what will be his first semifinals of a Masters 1000. «He destroyed me in Madrid. I think this time it will be different. Now I am more mature. I am ready to face him in the semi-final”, said the Murcian, confident that he could play face to face with the Spaniard.
They transmitted to Alcaraz the words that Nadal had dedicated to him shortly before and he did not hesitate to return the praise. “ It is fantastic to play against Rafa. He’s my idol since I was a kid , so it’s never easy to play against him, but I think it will be a fantastic match. It’s a great experience to play against him, in a Masters 1000 semi-final, here in Indian Wells. I’m going to have a great time and I’m going to enjoy every second of the game. It is a very special experience for me”, he declared.
“I don’t know what I have to do to win this semi-final. I think my level has already been seen, I am playing at a high level in this tournament. I am aware that it will be a very tough game, but everyone knows how Rafa’s game is. When he is in a moment of downturn he can come back, raise his level in blows and turn the game around. We’ll see what happens” concluded the tennis player from El Palmar (Murcia).
