"Are We Really Going to Worry About Two Losses?" » Rafael Nadal Defends Carlos Alcaraz After Miami Open Third-Round Exit

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has come to the defense of Carlos Alcaraz (22, world No. 1) after the top-ranked player was eliminated in the third round of the Miami Open. The 22-time Grand Slam champion rhetorically asked, "Should he win every match in a year?"

One of the biggest upsets at the current Miami Open was Carlos Alcaraz's third-round exit. The Spaniard was defeated in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, by Sebastian Korda (25, world No. 36) and experienced moments of visible frustration.

Despite the early exit, Rafael Nadal insists there's no cause for concern and defended his compatriot, who has already secured two titles in 2026: the Australian Open and Doha.

"I mean, he just won the Australian Open, he has seven Grand Slam titles, he's world No. 1... So what? Should he win every match in a year?" stated the player who retired from tennis at the end of 2024, as quoted by tennis.com.

"That will never happen. So, there's your answer. Are we really going to worry about two losses? I don't think so. It makes no sense, and we shouldn't ask more of him," Nadal added.

"I believe all we need to do is congratulate Carlos and thank him for all he's achieving. Ultimately, he's bringing a series of accomplishments to Spanish sport that, perhaps 25 or 30 years ago, we couldn't have imagined... Maybe we've all become too accustomed to success. But I've never lost sight of how difficult the things Carlos does are – or any other athlete from Spain or any other country," concluded the 14-time Roland Garros champion.

After a hard-court season start, Carlos Alcaraz is set to transition to clay, a surface where he typically excels. The world No. 1 will participate in the Monte Carlo tournament, scheduled from April 5-12.