Rafael Nadal still hasn't lost two consecutive matches on clay in Carlos Alcaraz's lifetime in mind-blowing statistic

Since March 2002, Rafael Nadal hasn't lost two consecutive matches on clay, an impressive record considering Carlos Alcaraz wasn't even born then. Nadal's clay dominance remains unmatched after his victory in the Rome Open debut against Zizou Bergs.

The Spaniard rallied from a set down to claim victory 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and advance to the second round, where he will face 7th seed Hubert Hurkacz. The 22-times Grand Slam champion continues to showcase his longevity despite injuries, securing his 7th triumph in 10 matches played this season.

Nadal is playing the Rome Open for the last time, a tournament he has won 10 times and will be his final stop before Roland Garros. A week ago, Nadal achieved three victories in the Madrid Open but was eliminated by Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-4 in the fourth round.

This time, the Spaniard returned to victory on clay, maintaining his incredible 22-year record of not losing twice consecutively on clay. The last time he suffered two consecutive clay defeats was in 2002 when he hadn't even debuted in ATP tournaments and was playing some Challenger events at just 15 years old with a ranking outside the top 750.

The statistic is even more impressive considering that 2-times Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz hadn't even been born yet. More than 20 years later, Nadal's dominance is beginning to wane with the end of his career approaching.

If his compatriot Alcaraz, who is seen as his heir on the Tour, wanted to repeat or surpass Nadal's achievement, he would have to avoid consecutive clay defeats until April 2043, when he will be 39 years old. The last time Alcaraz suffered consecutive clay defeats was in the Andalucia Open and Barcelona Open back in 2021.