"I want to face Novak Djokovic and play with Rafael Nadal again; They may beat me up, but I think it will be different"- Carlos Alcaraz

In a recent interview with Marca, Carlos Alcaraz revealed that he wants to play more matches against Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz stated that even if he were to lose to the two legends of the game, it would serve as a great learning experience for him.

While Carlos Alcaraz hasn't squared off against Novak Djokovic yet, he has lost the only encounter in which he faced Rafael Nadal on the ATP tour. The two crossed paths at the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open where the 21-time Grand Slam champion defeated Alcaraz in straight sets.

"I want to face Djokovic and play with Rafa again. I am more mature and I manage my emotions better if I watch the match I played with Nadal in Madrid. If I play with him, it will be different. They may beat me up, but I think it will be different," said Alcaraz.

Alcaraz also spoke about the 2022 Australian Open final, where Nadal, his idol, was up against Daniil Medvedev. The young Spaniard mentioned that he was completely "glued to the television" and didn't eat anything during the final set.

"I was glued to the television. In the fifth set I hadn't eaten and I was home alone with my brother. During breaks I went to the kitchen to prepare food for myself and my brother. When they started I would run to the TV and so on all the time. I couldn't miss a point," mentioned the Spaniard.

Alcaraz broke into the top 20 for the first time in his career following his triumph at the Rio Open. Speaking about his future goals, the youngster said his top priority is to finish the 2022 season inside the top 10.

"I still have five places left [to break into the top-15] and when I achieve it, we will look for new objectives for the end of the year. Obviously I dream of finishing the year in the top-10," added Alcaraz.

Rafael Nadal set to feature at the Indian Wells Masters

Telcel ATP Mexican Open 2022 - Final

Currently enjoying a 15-match winning streak on the ATP tour, Rafael Nadal will be seen in action at the Indian Wells Masters, which begins on March 10, 2022. Apart from him, Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Alcaraz will also be competing in the California desert this year.

If the Spaniard registers three wins at the Indian Wells Masters, he will take his unbeaten streak to 18 matches, moving past Pete Sampras and Roger Federer's tallies of 17 in 1998 and 2017 respectively.

Rafael Nadal will be eyeing his fourth title at the Indian Wells Masters this year, a tournament he last won in 2013.