Sports
Carlos Alcaraz said he’d rather happy about his game against Rafael Nadal than to…
Carlos Alcaraz said he’d rather happy about his game against Rafael Nadal than to…
Spanish 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz was far from downhearted after a battling three-set loss to childhood idol Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of the ATP Indian Wells Masters.
Alcaraz went toe-to-toe with the 21-time Grand Slam champion, taking the second set before succumbing, and the experience only increased his belief that he’s poised to take his place among the game’s elite.
“I think I’m more mature than last year,” Alcaraz said. “Now I know how to play against these kins of players. I played a lot of matches against great players. Second time against Rafa. I feel like I’m part of that level.
“I think I’m going to play against Rafa or the best players this year a lot.”
Alcaraz said going into the semi-final that he expected it to be a much different match than his only prior meeting with his superstar compatriot, when Alcaraz won just three games in a blowout in Madrid.
Carlos Alcaraz said he’d rather happy about his game against Rafael Nadal than to…
“As I said yesterday, this is going to be a different match than the first one. Now I think that I’m ready for the others.”
Alcaraz has been filling his resume with precocious achievements.
Last year he became the youngest man to reach the US Open quarterfinals in the Open Era and last month he won his second ATP Tour title at Rio de Janeiro.
So Nadal said he went into the match as he would any other high-level semi-final.
“I treated it like I played against a top-eight player. In terms of level, that was my feeling,” said Nadal, who believes Alcaraz has “all the ingredients” to become a champion.
Carlos Alcaraz said he’d rather happy about his game against Rafael Nadal than to…
Read More: Tennis Star Nick Kyrgios had Involved Ben Stiller in Fan Clapback During Match Against Rafael Nadal
“He has all the shots. He can play very aggressive. He can play defensive because he’s super fast,” Nadal said. “He can defend amazing balls. Of course, when he’s playing aggressive, it’s difficult to stop him because his quality of the ball is very high.”
Alcaraz was quick out of the gate on Saturday, breaking Nadal in the opening game and holding in a marathon second game to take a 2-0 lead.
But nevertheless he said he felt early-match nerves something he thinks he’ll be able to control better next time.
Read More: Nick Kyrgios launches furious rant as he loses to Rafael Nadal
“In the next time I will play more calm, more relaxed,” he said. “If you are playing with Rafa, you have to be calm, you have to think well in the tough moments. That’s what I learned in this match.”
After Alcaraz took a second set in which whipping winds affected both players, Nadal went on the attack.
Although the level was high from both players, Alcaraz, like plenty of players before him, ultimately couldn’t find an answer as Nadal forced the action at the net.
Read More: Indian Wells chief provides Rafael Nadal theory as he makes unbelievable comments
“I thought that I’m able to beat Rafa in some moments. But Rafa has a thousand lives.”
THERE IS COMMENT BOX AFTER THE ADS, SHARE YOUR THOUGHT WITH USSports
Ferrari warned Lewis Hamilton will cause internal drama
A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
THERE IS COMMENT BOX AFTER THE ADS, SHARE YOUR THOUGHT WITH USSports
Listen to Chase Elliott, No. 9 team react to pace car crash at Phoenix in 2024
Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Sports
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Exposes NASCAR’s Hidden Truth: The Pressure Turns Champions Miserable
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
THERE IS COMMENT BOX AFTER THE ADS, SHARE YOUR THOUGHT WITH US