The Paris Olympic finals were a tale of “ifs” and “almosts” for Carlos Alcaraz. Notably, the Spanish sensation cruised through the tournament without losing a set until Sunday. But, he faced the seasoned prowess of Novak Djokovic who won his first Olympic gold medal. Alcaraz was “almost” there, tantalizingly close to victory in both sets. He leveled the match several times, showing flashes of brilliance, but Djokovic stole the show. And as the 21-year-old Alcaraz now reflects on the “ifs” of his gameplay, someone understands his journey all too well, and it’s none other than Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz failed to defeat Djokovic at Court Philippe Chatrier after losing in straight sets 7-6(3), 7-6(2). However, he looked to return home with a medal for himself and his country, even though it was not shiny gold. However, it seems insufficient for the young talent who sobbed uncontrollably following the loss. As the tennis community joined to calm the Spaniard down, Nadal offered some words of wisdom.

Taking to his Instagram story after the match, Rafa expressed his high regard for his young compatriot. “Carlos, even though I know today is a difficult day, value a medal that is very important for the whole country; eventually, you will see that for you too.” as translated. Alcaraz’s victory brought the second silver medal for Spain taking the total tally of the country to eight at the Paris Olympics. While Alcaraz could not repeat his French Open glory yet again on the clay court, the silver medal cannot be neglected as the 21-year-old has achieved it in his first Olympic run. And Nadal knows the value of it precisely.

Continuing further, the 38-year-old wrote, “Thank you for this incredible week and for a medal you give us to Spanish sport.” Remember, Rafa and Alcaraz teamed up in Paris to form a ‘dream’ doubles team. However, their campaign met with significant roadblocks, eventually whisked them out of the tournament in the quarterfinals against Team USA. But for Alcaraz, the disappointment is understandable.

The Spanish sensation was fresh off his victory at the French Open and the Wimbledon. Besides, he defeated Djokovic in the finals of the grass-court grand slam where the Serb looked defenseless. Amid such a form as this, missing the gold despite reaching so close is indeed disheartening for the young star. But this is not the first time Nadal has admitted to Alcaraz’s talent and his importance for Spain.

Speaking of Alcaraz, Nadal had said, “[He is] a player with huge potential.” While he highlighted that tennis can evolve quickly, he shared Alcaraz remains in great shape and form.

“But today if we have to predict what’s going on in his career, we predict amazing things,” mentioned Nadal. Yet, the Spanish icon is not the only legend to praise Alcaraz.

Djokovic’s words of praise for Alcaraz after Olympic glory!

Djokovic achieved what he has desired for decades. It was for the first and probably the last time the Serb was in the finals of the Olympic games and he did not miss his shot at the gold medal. But despite the grand victory, he did not fail to admit to Alcaraz’s tough mental tenacity.

via Reuters

Speaking after the match, Nole revealed the challenges he faced against the Spaniard. He cited, “When the last shot went past him, that was the only moment I actually thought I could win the match.”

Continuing further, he shared that despite believing in himself, he found it difficult to surpass Alcaraz easily by saying, “He keeps on coming back. He keeps on asking me to play my best tennis.”

As tennis moves to the hard-court swing now, it would be interesting to see if Alcaraz can once again repeat the showdown of the 2022 US Open and win yet more accolades at Flushing Meadows.