Nadal Falls to Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia as Career Winds Down

Rafael Nadal acknowledged that his fitness level is significantly below that of the top players on tour after being defeated in straight sets by fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who described the exhibition match as "a little bit sad."

The 38-year-old Nadal, who recently announced his retirement from tennis following the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next month, lost 6-3, 6-3 to the 21-year-old Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the "Six Kings Slam" event in Saudi Arabia.

Following the match, Nadal praised Alcaraz, the winner of this year’s French Open and Wimbledon, calling him an "animal" and admitting he wasn't performing at his best. "I don’t have much pressure here. I’m just trying to have fun," Nadal said during the post-match press conference. "I know I'm going to play against players who are in much better shape than me because they are on the professional tour and winning tournaments."

Alcaraz, aware that the Saudi crowd favored Nadal, expressed his desire to let Nadal enjoy the support. "It’s a little bit sad... It was not a really comfortable moment for me. Obviously, I really wanted to win," Alcaraz commented. He added that "once you step on the court, there are no friends, no idols," but recognized it was Nadal's moment.

Before this match, Nadal’s last singles appearance was at the Olympic Games in Paris, where he was eliminated by his long-time rival Novak Djokovic in the second round. He also partnered with Alcaraz in men’s doubles during the Games and may do so again at the Davis Cup Finals.

Nadal is set to face Djokovic again on Saturday after the Serbian lost a closely contested match to Australian Open and US Open champion Jannik Sinner, who won 6-2, 6-7 (0/7), 6-4, and will play against Alcaraz in the final. "Having Novak in front of me is nostalgic," Nadal said, looking forward to their third-place match in Saudi Arabia. "We’ve faced each other plenty of times, so it’s going to be good fun to play each other again."

Regarding the Davis Cup Finals, Nadal expressed uncertainty about his performance level. "Emotionally, I’m sure I will be ready. In terms of physical condition and tennis level, there’s still a month to prepare," he stated, adding that he would not hesitate to withdraw if he felt he could not compete effectively in singles.