Without the pressure of a big event, without the pressure to win because of ranking issues or the need for urgency to meet expectations and reputation, they meet surrounded by incentives. Rafael Nadallegends that are still valid and Carlos Alcarazstandard bearer of the future, but now, this Sunday, at Las Vegasin front exhibition.
Both are far from what the circuit demands in the long run. The promotional poster for the event put on by entertainment company and platform Netflix points to “legend versus wonder.” A dream match, which any tennis fan, especially the Spanish, looks forward to, with no certainty that it can come true again.
The stadium Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegaswith a capacity of twelve thousand spectators, the chosen venue for the rivalry between two enormous players separated by several generations that they had time to reunite.
This isn’t the first time the two have come together on a track, although it’s not been a friendly exhibition before. The 37-year-old Spaniard, holder of twenty-two Grand Slams, has won two of the three times they have competed on court. It is in the Masters 1000 in Madrid, in 2021, amid the Murcian emergence, and in Indian Wells, in 2022, with difficulty, in three sets. Then, months later, also at Caja Mágica, in Madrid, Alcaraz took over. And he won the first, and so far only, against the Manacor veteran.
They have been in California for a few days, where next week the two will return to competition, taking on the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, a major event on the calendar. A prestigious event, one of the next related to a Grand Slam. Each in their own way, with their certainties and uncertainties.
This is a new comeback for Rafael Nadal, who will touch down at a track in Las Vegas and then get into competitive action at Indian Wells. After a year on the sidelines due to his left psoas injury, which also caused him to undergo surgery, he returned to the field in January, at the start of the year, to play in Brisbane. He won two matches, against Austrian Dominic Thiem and local Jason Kubler, and lost one, against Australian Jordan Thompson. But he also broke down, had a micro muscle tear and since that day, he never played again.
He focused on returning to Doha, and postponed it. Now he will be part of the Indian Wells team that has won three times even though his sights are set on clay, during the dirt season. At Roland Garros and the Paris Olympic Games. And then, we’ll see.
With ninety-two titles and thirty-eight finals in his backpack, the last in 2022, Nadal is a mystery. Your physical state, your present, your future. Will deal with the commitment with Alcaraz, second player in the world, has not played since he left the Rio de Janeiro tournament, in the first round, in a clash against Thiago Monteiro, with a grade two lateral sprain in his right ankle that left him out of competition for nearly two weeks. Twelve titles, including two Grand Slams, the United States Open and in 2023 Wimbledon, when he also conquered Indian Wells, and four finals, sum up the meteoric and powerful rise of the Murcian in the world of tennis.
Quarterfinalist at the Australian Open, eliminated by German Alexander Zverev, semi-finalist in Buenos Aires, defeated by Chilean Nicolas Jarry, Alcaraz did not start the third event on his calendar, Rio, which he won last year. An ankle injury has put Netflix Slam organizers on alert. But it didn’t go any further.
Both will appear again in Las Vegas. Twenty-four majors compete on the court of a nearly sold-out venue, which in resale has broken unimaginable records for an unusual show.
The Spanish public will have comments of David Ferrercaptain of the Spanish Davis Cup team, and Feliciano Lopez on the broadcast. Racquet history like Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, Patrick McEnroe or Mari Joe Fernandez They will also have their specific participation in the television broadcast.
On stage, back, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz as part of an unprecedented tennis exhibition. When the score doesn’t count and the numbers don’t matter. At stake, the legend, the history. The state of form. In case the competition and future do not fit other pulses between the two.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
