Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal will play later today at the Madrid Open, but exactly a year ago, they faced each other at the same venue.
It was a match that had the tennis fans talking, and it was billed as the present and future of Spanish tennis. Alcaraz, celebrating his 18th birthday, shared the stage on home territory with a man he grew up to call his childhood idol.
Alcaraz's potential as the next big thing in men's tennis is almost absolute, although tennis onlookers are always advised to make any long-term predictions with an ounce of caution.
The fresh-faced 18-year-old, who tends to play with a broad smile on his face, played some breathtaking points in spasmodic moments during the match, but the moment was certainly too big for him, and Nadal sensed it.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion was relentless and remorseless, only allowing his younger compatriot three games in the match. But he gave Alcaraz his parting gift after the match, jointly posing for a photo with tournament director Feliciano Lopez to celebrate the birthday boy.
Twelve months later, no sentient being could have predicted Alcaraz's meteoric rise so fast. He's turned from a boy to a man and is now part of the ATP's Top 10 after a career-best start to a season that brought titles from Rio, Miami, and, most recently, Barcelona.
And it's not inconceivable that he will pass Nadal in the rankings in the coming months if he continues to sustain this incredible level. For now, though, tennis fans will be anticipating an epic showdown.
Tennis TV has compiled the best points from their first match in Madrid last year, which can be viewed in the video below, including their post-match joint photo. So, will Alcaraz get his revenge a year later? The oddsmakers think so, as he's been instilled as the pre-match favorite.
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