"He is humble and cheerful" shares Carlos Alcaraz about Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal is one of the most popular tennis players in the world yet the Spaniard is also known as a very normal and quite shy person off the court. It's an interesting mix of characteristics for one of the fiercest competitors on the courts ever. Carlos Alcaraz remembers vividly the first time he saw and met Nadal saying:

"The first time I saw Nadal was on the Rafa Nadal Tour, it was a trophy ceremony and I could hardly exchange words with him."

He continued:

"But later, the first time I spoke with him, I saw that he was a normal and ordinary guy, very close, it was very nice to be with him, if you didn't know that Rafa is, you would say that he is a normal and ordinary person, I think that's what that characterizes him, that he is close, humble and cheerful."

Alcaraz shared his thoughts in a written piece for Eurosport where he also shared that he does not want to be the next Nadal. He wants to be the first Carlos Alcaraz and by not comparing himself with Nadal he is able to stay grounded:

"My coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, who plays a fundamental role in my career, does not like to be compared to Rafa, he tries to make me focus on myself, to be Carlos Alcaraz and not try to look like anyone. That helps me a lot."