"He is the best ever, especially on clay, but facing Carlos will be a big challenge for him" - Alex Corretja feels Carlos Alcaraz's rise willout the best in Rafael Nadal

Carlos Alcaraz has drawn comparisons with Rafael Nadal following his incredible rise on the ATP tour and his achievements at such a young age.

Their meeting at the 2022 Indian Wells was a match that drew a lot of attention as the present and future of the game was on showcase. Nadal won the match, reminding everyone that his time isn't over just yet and that Alcaraz has a long way to go.

However, Alcaraz put that disappointment aside and came straight back by winning the 2022 Miami Open, hinting that perhaps his time had come.

Former World No. 2 and two-time French Open finalist Alex Corretja shared his thoughts on the comparison between the two, saying Nadal knows exactly what Alcaraz is going through and what the Spaniard needs to do to continue his ascent; there also needs to be a mention of who Corretja was talking to.

"Because Rafa is not jealous of Alcaraz. He knows that Alcaraz is great, but he still has so long to go in his career, and of course, one day hopefully Alcaraz will be close to Rafa," Corretja said.

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Corretja believes that Nadal is the best player ever on clay, but feels Alcaraz can offer a stern test of the Spaniard's credentials should they meet on the surface in the future.

"He is much older, but he has got much more experience. He is the best ever, especially on clay, but facing Carlos will be a big challenge for him."

Rafael Nadal's sensational start to 2022 season halted by injury

Nadal in action at Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal's career-best 20-0 start to the season was ended by Taylor Fritz in the Indian Wells final following which the Spaniard was diagnosed with a rib injury.

Rafael Nadal started off the year with a title Down Under. He beat the likes of Matteo Berrettini and Denis Shapovalov to set up a showpiece final against Daniil Medvedev at the 2022 Australian Open. After dropping the first two sets, Nadal launched an improbable comeback that saw him win the next three sets and capture his second Australian Open crown.

Rafael Nadal then competed at Acapulco, where he once again had to see of Medvedev in the semifinals en route to his fourth title in the Mexican city.

However, his incredible season was brought to a halt as he suffered a rib fracture in his match against Alcaraz in Indian Wells. Nadal is set to spend a significant amount of time on the sidelines in order to recover completely. He has already withdrawn from Monte-Carlo and will likely withdraw from Barcelona as well and will target a return at Madrid