Nadal posts classy message to Alcaraz after teenager wins Madrid Open title
Nadal was among the first to congratulate Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday's triumph
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal sent compatriot Carlos Alcaraz a heartfelt message after the youngster beat Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open final.
As someone with intimate knowledge of what it means to lift the Madrid Open crown, Rafael Nadal was among the first to congratulate Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday's triumph.
The rising star made light work of Alexander Zverez and waltzed to a 6-3, 6-1 victory in front of a home crowd.
Having bested Nadal in the quarter-finals before easing past Novak Djokovic in the semis, it almost seemed fated that Alcaraz would win his home contest.
And five-time winner Nadal paid tribute to his young countryman following his fourth ATP Tour title so far in 2022.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion posted a picture of Alcaraz lifting his latest trophy on Instagram, alongside the caption (translated from Spanish): "Congratulations Charles!!!!! What a great tournament. Big win!"
Alcaraz, 19, has now defeated the last seven top-10 opponents he's faced and is coming into his own as the clay season progresses.
His Madrid Open journey also made him the first player to beat both Nadal and Djokovic in the same clay competition.
