Rafael Nadal opening to advising Carlos Alcaraz: Ready any time he wants

Legendary Rafael Nadal has said that he is open to advising Carlos Alcaraz in the future. Speaking at the Six Kings Slam 2024, Nadal said that he knew Alcaraz was a special talent when he saw him in 2021.

In Short

• Carlos Alcaraz beat Rafael Nadal in the Six Kings Cup
• Rafael Nadal recently decided to retire from professional tennis
• Nadal said that he was open to advising Alcaraz

Legendary Rafael Nadal has said that he is open to advising Carlos Alcaraz, if the youngster ever wanted it. Speaking after his Six Kings Cup semi-final defeat against Alcaraz, Nadal said that the young Spaniard was in good hands, surrounded by able coaches and support staff.

Nadal lost 6-3 6-3 to Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals on Thursday to set up a third-place match against the Serb, who was beaten 6-2 6-7(0) 6-4 by Jannik Sinner. World No.1 Sinner will meet Alcaraz in the final at Riyadh where the winner will take home $6 million.

“I think he doesn’t need much advice. He has a great team, great family. He’s gonna be going very well with what he has. He’s learning all the time. We can see he’s evolving in every way. But of course, I’ll be ready any time he wants to call me,” Rafael Nadal said in the on-court interview.

The Spaniard was asked if he knew that Alcaraz was a special talent. Nadal said that when he saw Alcaraz play in the Australian Open 2021, he knew that the youngster was going to be a real force to reckon with in the future.

“Well of course when you’re in the tennis world, when someone comes from the same country as you and he’s winning, he’s specialâ€æ people told me someone very good is coming. I didn’t have the chance to watch him til we practised in Australia in 2021. Something like this. Even if he was very young you see things you don’t see in the others. You can see it now," Nadal said.

Rafa Nadal will have one last chance to face old rival Novak Djokovic before the Spaniard calls time on his illustrious career with the pair set to meet at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia.

"To have Novak in front of me, it's like a nostalgic thing," Nadal told reporters. "We've played each other a lot, so it'll be fun to play each other again in this match."

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who announced his retirement last week, has faced Djokovic in 60 matches - the most in men's tennis - and has triumphed 29 times to the Serb's 31.

The last time Nadal faced 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic was in the second round of the Paris Olympics, where he lost 6-1 6-4.

Nadal, who also teamed up with Alcaraz in the men's doubles at the Games, could do so again at the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga from November 19-24.