ATHLETIC FRIENDS
Carlos Alcaraz shares the text he received from Rafael Nadal before Wimbledon triumph
The tennis legend supported his fellow Spaniard
Carlos Alcaraz has a lot to be proud of after beating Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final on Sunday. The 20-year-old now has a second Grand Slam title with a long future ahead of him. While he played some of the best players in the world, one notable player was missing, Rafael Nadal, who is recovering from surgery.
While Nadal was not in London, he was supporting Alcaraz from home. The tennis player supported his fellow Spaniard, sending him a special message. He told the press, “he sent it to wish me luck for the final, and I appreciate it.”
It was a special moment for Alcaraz, who called Nadal his idol. “That someone like him, an idol of my childhood and who continues to be so, sends you strength and luck for the most important moment of your life is something to admire,” he continued.
Nadal also shared a post on Instagram in honor of the winner. “You have given us immense joy today and for sure our pioneer in Spanish tennis, Manolo Santana, has also been cheering wherever he is as a member of Wimbledon whom you have joined today,” he wrote in the caption.
The new Wimbledon champion was also congratulated by Fernando Alonso and other celebrities like Will Smith, and Sebastian Yatra, who dedicated a song to him. “I don’t want to leave anyone because there have been many sports legends, artists,” he continued. “That all these people congratulate you is exciting. It is a dream come true for me. Even if I lost, I would have been proud of myself,” the young player continued.
RELATED:
The Latina soccer stars taking the field in the Women’s World Cup
Eiza Gonzalez, Lewis Hamilton, and friends hang out in luxury yacht
Lionel Messi’s kids celebrate new beginnings in adorable video
Nadal’s break from tennis
Nadal, who is opening a new restaurant with Cristiano Ronaldo, is a two-time Wimbledon champion, winning in 2008 and 2010. He is currently healing from arthroscopic surgery after injuring his leg at the Australian Open. “Everything went well, and the arthroscopy was on the left psoas tendon that has kept me out of competition since January,” Nadal wrote in Spanish on social media.
The father also fixed an old hip injury and is expected to rest for five months. “An old injury to the labrum of my left hip was also [fixed], which will surely help the better evolution of the tendon,” he continued.
