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Same place, same day. On April 25, 2005, Rafael Nadal wins in Barcelona and breaks the Top 10 for the first time. After seventeen years, Carlos Alcaraz curiously does the same thing. If you believe in destiny, well, you have bread for your teeth.
The only substantial difference: for 'Carlitos' it is not the final that against Stefanos Tsitsipas, number one in the seeding and outgoing finalist. The overflowing climb of the Spanish talented continues, just back from the misstep in Monte-Carlo.
An extraordinary first set and a final of pure management: this is how in fact he manages the very complicated 'Tsitsi' practice and finds a place for the first time in his career among the top four in the Tournament-Nadal.
A 6-4 5-7 6-2 that catches after just over two and a half hours of play which allows him, among other things, to bring the seasonal haul to 21-3. He practically lost only against Berrettini in Australia, Nadal in North America and Korda in the Principality.
Waiting for him Alex de Minaur: on the opposite side of the board Diego Schwartzman, executioner of Lorenzo Musetti and Pablo Carreno Busta. Which instead 'made-out' from the Spanish 500 Lorenzo Sonego. Has women's tennis really found a queen? We do not know, in the meantime a player who has been positive for 23 consecutive matches from being number one in the world should still be fine.
Corretja talks about Nadal
Alex Corretja believes it would be "risky" for Rafael Nadal to make his comeback from injury at the 2022 Madrid Masters. "I think the major decision for Rafa will be go to Madrid or not," Corretja said.
"This is probably the most difficult part for Rafa because I believe from what we heard and what we saw that he is practicing. In a regular situation, he might be ready to play Madrid, but is Madrid the perfect place for Rafa to come back? Knowing that it's the altitude and that through the clay-court season, that was the place that he usually felt a little bit more uncomfortable because he's got so much power and he doesn't control the ball as much as he likes," Corretja continued.
"He's got some opponents that hurt him in Madrid that usually don't do [so] in a sea-level place. So is he going to be ready for Madrid? Maybe he is ready, but I'm not so sure that it will be his pick to get back in Madrid."