Speaking to Tennis Channel, Jim Courier said that he thinks that losing at the 2022 Madrid Open to Carlos Alcaraz might be a positive thing for Rafael Nadal.
Without a doubt, Rafael Nadal is the greatest clay-court player of all time, but after the injury, the Spaniard needs to get back to shape quickly to be ready for the 2022 Roland Garros after losing at the Madrid Open. However, before he travels to Paris, the experienced Spaniard will play the 2022 Italian Open in Rome where he's the third-seeded and one of the biggest favourites to win the title as he also defends the last year's triumph.
Before travelling to Rome, 21-time Grand Slam champion lost in his home country to Carlos Alcaraz who is currently on a 10-match winning streak in Spain and is growing into a big rival for his fellow compatriot.
“I think this is a good result for Rafa [Nadal] to actually lose this match on a couple of levels. He now gets four days off before he goes to Rome, where he’ll play at sea level, which much more mimics what he’ll face at Roland Garros from a conditions standpoint.”
“And [Nadal] gets a chance now to regroup, hopefully kind of reassess where he is, knowing that his rib is no longer a problem. I think all things considered it was a good week for Rafa. He came out, got some match toughness, found out his rib can hold up, and now he’s pointed towards Rome and Roland Garros.”
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