Carlos Alcaraz picks win against Rafael Nadal in Madrid in 2022 as one of his best matches

Carlos Alcaraz has named his 2022 Madrid Open quarter-final clash against Rafael Nadal as one of the best matches of his career.

Despite struggling with his ankle during the second set, Alcaraz defeated his compatriot and idol 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 to set up a semi-final showdown against Novak Djokovic. He beat the Serb 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5) before thrashing Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-1 in the final to lift his second Masters 1000 trophy.

Nadal and Djokovic, meanwhile, will remain absent from the 2023 Madrid Open starting today, April 26, as they recover from their respective injuries. World No. 2 Alcaraz, who defended his Barcelona Open title last week, will be the top seed in the tournament.

In a recent conversation with ATPTour.com, he recalled the events that led up to his contest against Nadal last year and labeled it one of his best matches so far.

"Well, in Madrid in 2021, on my 18th birthday, it was my first time playing Rafa and it was really tough for me to handle that I was about to play against Rafa, you know, my idol. I was scared then," Carlos Alcaraz said.

"In 2022, last year, it was totally different. I had played a couple of times against him, in Indian Wells as well. It was so different, you know. I tried to focus on my game, tried being relaxed, being myself on court. It was one of my best matches on the tour, honestly," he added.

On the day Alcaraz turned 18, in 2021, he faced Nadal for the first time on the tour - in the second round of the Madrid Open. The young Spaniard managed to win a total of three games against the 22-time Grand Slam champion, losing the match 6-1, 6-2 in 78 minutes.

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Carlos Alcaraz's coach says he figured out how to beat Rafael Nadal

Carlos Alcaraz (L) and Rafael Nadal

Although Carlos Alcaraz raised his level significantly by the time he met Rafael Nadal again in the semi-finals of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open, he lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. However, he immediately realized what he needed to do to win against Nadal, as told by the 19-year-old's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero recently.

Speaking to Tennis Majors, Ferrero said:

“After losing against Nadal at the Indian Wells in the semifinals Alcaraz came out of the court and said, ‘I think I’m ready to defeat him now’. It was the first thing he told me after losing and then he beat Nadal and Djokovic in Madrid. As I mentioned previously, he has this ability to feel when he’s ready."

After receiving a bye in the first round of the 2023 Madrid Open, Alcaraz will take on either Ugo Humbert or Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round.