"I'll be ready anytime Carlos Alcaraz wants to call me” - Rafael Nadal makes his support known after Six Kings Slam beating

Rafael Nadal expressed his support for Carlos Alcaraz after their match at the Six Kings Slam. The two Spaniards faced off against each other in the semifinals of the exhibition tournament on October 17.

Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Jannik Sinner are among the notable names participating in the Six Kings Slam event being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Nadal and Djokovic are the only players who received byes into the semifinals.

Carlos Alcaraz started his Six Kings Slam campaign by defeating Holger Rune in the quarterfinals with a score of 6-4, 6-2, and earned his spot in the semifinals. He then faced off against Rafael Nadal and emerged victorious with a score of 6-3, 6-3, to secure his place in the final, where he will face Jannik Sinner.

During the post-match on-court interview, Nadal was asked as to what advice he would give to Alcaraz. In response, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said that the 21-year-old doesn't need any advice as he has great support around him.

The former World No.1 commended Carlos Alcaraz for his ability to learn and grow and mentioned that he will always be there for him if he ever seeks advice or guidance.

“I think he doesn't need much advice. He has a great team next to him and a great family so I think he is going to be very well . He's learning all the time and we can see that he's evolving in every single way. But of course I will be ready anytime he wants to call me,” Nadal said [6:00].

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Rafael Nadal commends the rise of 'special' Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz (L) with Rafael Nadal (R) at Six Kings Slam 2024 [Image Source: Getty Images]

During the same interview, Rafael Nadal also talked about his impressions of Carlos Alcaraz when he was slowly coming up in the world of tennis. He shared that when he first heard about Alcaraz, he knew the young Spaniard was "special."

“Well, when you are in the world of tennis, when somebody is coming from the same country as you and he's winning, he's special,” he said [4:17].

The 38-year-old recalled the time before Alcaraz gained recognition in the tennis world. Recounting their first meeting during a practice session at the 2021 Australian Open, Nadal said:

“I mean the people were telling me that somebody very good is coming now but of course I didn't have the chance to watch him play till I was practicing with him in Australia I think in 2021 something like this. Even though he was very young, you see things that you don't see in others, you can see it.”

Carlos Alcaraz is set to compete against Jannik Sinner in the final of the Six Kings Slam, while Rafael Nadal will be facing off against Novak Djokovic in the third-place match.