Change of guard? Alcaraz overpowers Nadal at Madrid Open

Rafael Nadal wasn’t the Spanish player that was celebrated on center court this time.

Instead, the cheers of Madrid’s Caja Magica spectators were directed at the teenager sensation, who was considered to be the Spanish successor for the great Nadal.

Carlos Alcaraz, 19, overcame a serious injury to beat his idol in the Madrid Open quarterfinals.

The win was the first of what could be a new era in Spanish tennis.

“It’s obvious there’s (a change in guard),” Nadal said. “He turned 19 yesterday, I’m almost 36 years old. We will soon find out if (the change) starts today or not. He’s a great guy. He was better than me in several aspects of the game.”

Nadal received loud support throughout the match and was given a standing ovation as the five-time champion left the court.

Alcaraz felt emotional afterward.

“It means a lot to me to beat Rafa, to beat the best player in the history on clay,” he said. “This is the result of all the hard work I’ve done.”

This was Nadal’s first loss to a Spaniard for six years since Fernando Verdasco at 2016, the Australian Open. Before facing Alcaraz, he had a record of 138-21 against his countrymen.

Alcaraz, ranked ninth, is the youngest semifinalist to ever be in Madrid. Novak Djokovic is his next opponent. He defeated Hubert Hurkacz by 6-3 and 6-4.

The other semifinal will see Alexander Zverev, the defending champion, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Tsitsipas beat Andrey Rublev in the fourth round 6-3. Zverev defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round 6-3, 6-6, 6-4.

Nadal, still far from his best form following a six-week injury break, predicted that he would have a difficult time keeping up with Alcaraz’s energy. He was right, as the youngster easily won the first set with three break wins.

Alcaraz suffered a loss of momentum due to his right ankle injury. Nadal won the second set with 20 points.

“It was a little bit painful, but it was no reason to do the second set that I have done,” Alcaraz said. “I think that I have let myself go. I was thinking of my ankle all the time and not on playing the match.”

A fan fell ill and the match was stopped in the second set.

Both players have had a fantastic start to the season, with both players claiming three of the top tour titles.

Nadal suffered a stress fracture in his ribs in the semifinal match against Alcaraz in Indian Wells. Nadal was able to save four match points in his third-round match against David Goffin, which lasted for more than three hours.

He saidAfter winning two matches after his injury layoff, it was a positive balance.

“It’s an easy loss to digest in that regard, because we knew what we could expect here,” he said. “My only dream is (to) be in Paris (for the French Open) healthy enough and physically good enough to compete at the highest level possible.”

Djokovic was a three-time Madrid champion and had no problems against Hurkacz. After Hurkacz gave up his first game of service, the Polish player hit long and Djokovic took advantage of Hurkacz’s slow start.

Hurkacz lost a second set break due to another series of unforced errors. He smacked a forehand short. Djokovic was unaffected by his dominance and won his fourth match point.

Djokovic is trying his best to regain his form after being barred from playing in the Australian Open. He was not vaccinated.

“It’s definitely a positive indication that I am on the right track in terms of getting to the desired level of tennis, being in one of the best tournaments in the world where all the best players are playing,” he said. “It does give me confidence, and it encourages me to keep going. I have a lot of positives to take from the last couple of days.”

Djokovic beat Gael Montfils in straight sets, to start his campaign at an outdoor clay tournament. It was also a walkover for Andy Murray who withdrew due to stomach illness.

Djokovic was kind enough to praise Alcaraz upon arriving in Madrid this Week. saidHis son, Nadal’s favorite player, had already replaced him with the young Spaniard.

Joseph Wilson, an Associated Press journalist, contributed to this report.