Nadal’s main goals this year are to try to win a final major in Paris but..

Rafa Nadal is back… again. The former world No. 1 made his second comeback to the tennis courts this year after playing at the Brisbane Open in January and showed a great level of tennis against his fellow countryman Carlos Alcaraz during the Netflix Slam exhibition match played in Las Vegas.

Nadal, who admitted that 2024 could be his last year competing as a professional, was very close to defeating the favorite Alcaraz in a game where there were quite a few doubts about Nadal’s fitness.

However, the 22-time Grand Slam tournament champion seemed to have turned the clock back with his impressive performance at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. He was the better player in the first set, not allowing Carlitos to break his serve, and although the younger and fresher player won the second set, the super tie-break was as spectacular as it can get.

Nadal jokes about not having to deal with Alcaraz again
The Nadal-Alcaraz showdown was probably even better than what many fans expected to see. The Manacor-bred legend hadn’t been seen playing a game since he lost to Jordan Thompson in Brisbane, after suffering a muscle injury that kept him off the courts since then.

The match against Juan Carlos Ferrero’s player probably boosted Nadal’s confidence after being injured for so long and despite tasting defeat, the Spaniard seemed happy with his performance.

Both men have met three times so far, with Nadal edging their head-to-head 2-1, although Alcaraz has been getting better every time they have met.

“It’s a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times,” Nadal joked after the match.

“As a fan, I will enjoy watching him for many years hopefully! He’s a big challenge. It’s completely different generations. In Spain, we should be very, very happy about having someone like Carlos coming”, he said.

“He’s an amazing player. He’s only 20 years old and he’s already won two Slams and a couple of important tournaments”, he stated.

Nadal’s pessimism about Indian Wells before facing Alcaraz
Nadal’s first objective was to be able to participate in the Qatar Open, in Doha, but he had to postpone his return because he wasn’t ready to compete at the highest level. He has only played two tournaments in 13 months, as in 2023 he didn’t play any match after getting injured at the Australian Open.

“I don’t know how I am. I haven’t played a set since Brisbane. I’ve had better and worse moments”, he said about his chances at Indian Wells before taking on Alcaraz.

“The most important thing for me is that I’m here. If I’m here it’s already good news”, he added.