Both men are fiercely protective of their private lives, enjoy passionate crowd support and build their games on steely defence and thrilling, flamboyant attack.
Nadal famously fought out a five-hour and 53-minute Australian Open final in 2012, only to lose to Djokovic.
Four years earlier, he won his first Wimbledon crown in a four-hour 48-minute epic against Roger Federer in a match widely hailed as the greatest Slam final of all time.
“COMPETITIVE KID”
“I know that I am a very competitive kid. I compete whenever I play anything – golf, petanca,” said Alcaraz. “I don’t like to lose.”
At his side is coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 French Open winner who also took the number one ranking at the US Open later that year.
“I would love for Carlos to win 30 Grand Slams. There will be a lot of chances,” said Ferrero, who began working with Alcaraz when he was just 15.
Alcaraz was already winning junior European and Spanish titles in lower categories under the guidance of Albert Molina, an agent with IMG.
Molina established the Alcaraz-Ferrero partnership.
Ferrero then brought Alcaraz into his academy in Valencia, 120km from El Palmar.
His raw potential soon attracted sponsors, with marquee brands such as Nike and Rolex rushing to sign up Nadal’s heir apparent.
The tennis team around the prodigy was also expanding and soon included a physical trainer, a physiotherapist and the support of psychologists and doctors.
An indication of his potential was obvious at the Rio clay-court event in 2020 when he was just 16, and ranked 406 in the world, he shocked Albert Ramos Vinolas to register his first ATP win.
Alcaraz and Ferrero have developed a deep professional and personal bond.
That relationship was sealed when Ferrero, having returned home following the death of his father, quickly crossed the Atlantic again just in time to see Alcaraz win his first Masters title at Miami in March last year.
“Let him flow, let him play,” said Ferrero when asked to plot his pupil’s future trajectory.
For Alcaraz, the sky is the limit after he dethroned Djokovic to confirm his emergence as the sport’s new king.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
