Rafael Nadal watched the 2024 Wimbledon Championships final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, and he celebrated his compatriot’s win.
The two Spanish players have a great relationship, with the younger Spaniard treating Nadal as a sort of mentor and an idol. The 38-year-old hasn’t gotten a chance to mentor him too much so far in his career, but they keep in touch, and they will play together at the 2024 Paris Olympics this year.
The 21-year-old has been on record admitting that his compatriot inspired him while he was growing up, and that’s not a huge surprise either. He watched him dominate the sport as a kid, and now he’ll have a chance to create some more tennis history with him at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
On a more personal level, Nadal is a huge supporter of Alcaraz, praising him many times as somebody who will carry the torch forward for Spanish tennis. He watched the 2024 Wimbledon Championships final between his compatriot and Djokovic and supported his countryman.
The 22-time major winner posted a picture on Instagram of the moment Alcaraz won the 2024 Wimbledon and wrote an enthusiastic caption for the photo.
“Congratulations Carlos!!!!. What a great moment another one. Big hug!!!!”
While watching his compatriot surely brings him great joy, Nadal will be likely looking to extend his legacy, and he will start preparations for that at the upcoming Bastad Open, where he’ll compete in both singles and doubles.
In the singles draw, the experienced Spaniard will start against fellow wild card Leo Borg, while in doubles, along with Casper Ruud, they will take on the second-seeded Guido Andreozzi and Miguel Angel Reyes Varela in their first round at the ATP 250 competition. After that, Nadal will likely turn focus to the 2024 Paris Olympics.