Rafael Nadal said that despite losing to Carlos Alcaraz at the Mutua Madrid Open Friday, he will remain positive as he looks at the bigger picture following his recent injury setback.

The World No. 4 suffered a rib injury six weeks ago and was competing for the first time since Taylor Fritz ended his perfect start to the season in the Indian Wells final in March.

“The reading of the tournament is I have played three matches and that I came here with hardly any preparation, with no preparation. This is the reality,” Nadal said in his post-match press conference. “I said that before coming here it was going to be a tough week, even though I have lost to one of the fittest players of the world with no doubts, I even had my opportunities.

“I have played two-and-a-half hours [today] and three matches. This is a positive outcome. From here onwards, just looking forward with optimism and [I’m] happy and excited. We will see what happens. You have to believe.”

The 35-year-old, who has lifted the trophy in Madrid five times, defeated Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic and David Goffin en route to the quarter-finals. However, Nadal was unable to match Alcaraz’s intensity, with the third seed praising the #NextGenATP star as he looks ahead to Roland Garros.

“He was better than me in several aspects of the match and several aspects of the game, and I need to improve,” Nadal said. “I just accept it naturally with calm and with security that there is a path to continue.

“It’s an easy loss to digest in that regard, because we knew what we could expect here, and now because of that, I don’t take away any merit from Carlos. Congratulations
to him. He’s playing great, and I hope the best for him for the rest of the tournament.”

When it comes to returning to Tour in style, Nadal is an expert, with his recent Australian Open triumph an example after he missed the second half of the 2021 season with a foot injury. The 91-time tour-level champ is looking to lean on his past experiences and build further momentum and his fitness over the coming month.

“You just recover that with days and with matches, like yesterday, like the first day, like today. This is the reality,” Nadal said. “From there onwards, you just have to continue that path with constant determination, with the correct determination. You know that when you come from a period like the one I came from, you have to accept the things and just go with this determination because in the medium term, we have a goal that is higher than any sadness that I may have for losing.

“I tell you, honestly, my only dream is be in Paris healthy enough and physically good enough to compete at the highest level possible. If that happens, I know it’s a tournament that I have been playing well a lot of times in my career. I know very well the place, and why can I not be competitive again and give me one more chance. That could be a dream for me.”

What a difference a year makes for Carlos Alcaraz.

A year on from winning just three games in a second-round defeat to Rafael Nadal at the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open, the 19-year-old sensation exacted revenge on his countryman at the ATP Masters 1000 event on Friday with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 victory in a topsy-turvy clash in the Spanish capital.

Alcaraz withstood a trademark Nadal fightback and a nasty second-set fall on the Madrid clay to prevail in an absorbing two-hour, 29-minute encounter. The win elevates the Spaniard to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings and he now faces a semi-final clash with another ATP Tour legend, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, in a maiden ATP Head2Head meeting between the two.

“It means a lot to me,” said Alcaraz after the match. “All the hard work that I put in every day pays off today. To beat Rafa, to beat the best player in history on clay, it means a lot to me.”

Breaking into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and clinching a maiden Masters 1000 title in Miami in March have been the headlining achievements of Alcaraz’s stellar 2022 season so far, and a first victory over Nadal represents another milestone for the 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion. He displayed maturity and youthful exuberance in equal measure to overcome Nadal, becoming the first teenager to defeat the 35-year-old on clay.

Alcaraz was untouchable in the opening set, striking 19 winners as Nadal struggled to match the quality and intensity of his opponent’s game. Although Nadal immediately broke back after dropping serve in the first game of the match, a combination of huge baseline hitting and clever drop shots earned Alcaraz two further breaks as he charged to the first set in Manolo Santana Stadium.

Despite his opponent’s strong start, there was no panic from 36-time Masters 1000 champion Nadal, whose return game began to fire as he sensed a drop in Alcaraz’s level. Alcaraz recovered 0/40 to hold for 1-1 in the second set before a slip in the next game left him requiring treatment for an ankle injury. Nadal’s improved hitting won him 20 of the final 22 points of the set to level the match as Alcaraz struggled to regain his early momentum.

Nadal appeared to have the upper hand as he chased a 12th semi-final appearance in Madrid, but his younger opponent showcased levels of resilience that the 21-time Grand Slam champion would be proud of. A reenergised Alcaraz struck the ball with authority as he clinched the only break of the deciding set in the fourth game to reach the semi-finals in Madrid for the first time.

Alcaraz’s early dominance was reflected in his outstanding Conversion and Steal numbers for the first set. When the 19-year-old had control of rallies he regularly came out on top, winning 74 per cent of points after taking up offensive positions. Even as Nadal tried to hit back there was no let-up from Alcaraz, who also won 61 per cent of points from defensive positions in the set. (Learn more about Conversion and Steal scores).

Rafael Nadal Vs. Carlos Alcaraz ⁠— First Set Insights:

Alcaraz never lost belief he could win despite appearing to struggle physically after his second-set fall. “It affected me a lot,” said the Spaniard. “When I lost the second set, I [just] thought that I was able to come back, to do my best, try everything on court, fight until the last ball. It was the key.”

The win takes Alcaraz to his third Masters 1000 semi-final and extends his winning streak against Top 10 opponents to five.

Daniil Medvedev’s initial schedule on his return from a hernia procedure will include the Gonet Geneva Open, the ATP 250 event announced on Friday.

“Comeback on track!”, wrote the 26-year-old on Twitter in response to the announcement of his wild card. Medvedev will be making his debut at the Swiss tournament, which runs from 14-21 May at the Tennis Club de Geneve.

The World No. 2 last played at the Miami Open presented by Itau in March, where he reached the quarter-finals before falling to Hubert Hurkacz at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Comeback on track! 👍 https://t.co/2rlFSY1NoK

— Daniil Medvedev (@DaniilMedwed) May 6, 2022

Medvedev is yet to pick up a title in 2022 but has nonetheless enjoyed a strong start to the year that saw him reach No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time on 28 February. He reached a fourth Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in January, with a run to the semi-finals in Acapulco also contributing to his 16-5 match record for the season so far.

Novak Djokovic maintained the quest for his first title of the season Friday, cruising past Pole Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 6-4 to reach his seventh Mutua Madrid Open semi-final.

The World No. 1 struck the ball with relentless depth, accuracy and power as he controlled points with his watertight groundstrokes to advance after 78 minutes and improve his perfect ATP Head2Head series record against Hurkacz to 4-0.

“I was serving really well in the second set, I think that kept me alive,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “I was pleased with the way I was constructing points. I tried to make him run and miss and overall It was a solid performance.

“It is definitely warmer today, even in the past two hours since the warm up, the bounce of the ball has increased by two metres. Hubi is tall and with his rotation in this altitude, everything bounces really high, so I was standing [deep] in the court, trying to mix things up. Put pressure on his first serve. It took us both time to adjust and the second set I think was better quality.”

The Serbian reached the final in Belgrade last month and is looking to build further momentum in the Spanish capital in his fourth event of the year. Earlier this week, Djokovic eliminated Gael Monfils in his opening match to ensure himself of a record-extending 369th week as World No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings from Monday, before he received a walkover from Andy Murray.

The top seed will face World No. 3 Rafael Nadal or #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in what will be his 72nd ATP Masters 1000 semi-final. Only Nadal (76) has reached the last four at a Masters 1000 event more.

Djokovic is also chasing his 38th Masters 1000 crown and his fourth title in Madrid, after triumphing in Spain in 2011, 2016 and in his previous appearance in 2019.

In a strong first set, Djokovic looked comfortable on Manolo Santana Stadium as he dominated the forehand exchanges, with Hurkacz unable to hit through the World No. 1. The 34-year-old raced to a 3-0 lead and did not face a break point in the set to move ahead after 36 minutes.

Djokovic continued to maintain the pressure in the second set, returning with great depth to force Hurkacz into errors. The top seed gained the crucial break in the fifth game, before he continued to play consistently to soar to victory, triumphing on his fourth match point.

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According to Tennis Data Innovations, Djokovic converted 84 per cent of the points in which he was in an offensive position as he blasted past Hurkacz. The ATP Tour average for conversion rate on clay is 65 per cent.

On the attack 26 per cent of the time, the Serbian also dominated the match’s Balance of Power, with Hurkacz on the offensive just 19 per cent of the time. (Learn more about Balance of Power and Conversion & Steal scores).

Hurkacz was playing in his third Masters 1000 quarter-final of the year, having advanced to the semi-finals on hard in Miami and the last eight on the clay in Monte Carlo. The World No. 14 earned just one win on clay in 2021, but he is already 6-2 on the surface this season.

Despite his defeat, Hurkacz has moved up two spots to No. 12 in Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

The third clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event of the season will see the world’s best players compete at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, with World No.1 Novak Djokovic, Monte Carlo tiltist Stefanos Tsitsipas and Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in action.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the tournament in the Italian capital:

When is the Internazionali BNL d’Italia?

The 2022 Internazionali BNL d’Italia will be held from 8-15 May. The clay-court ATP Masters 1000 tournament, established in 1930, will take place at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy. The tournament director is Sergio Palmieri.

Who is playing at the 2022 Internazionali BNL d’Italia?

The Internazionali BNL d’Italia will feature Top 10 stars Djokovic, Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Nadal, who is the reigning champion.

When is the draw for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia?

The Rome draw will be made on Friday 6 May at 6:30 p.m.

What is the schedule for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia ATP Masters 1000 event?

* Qualifying: Saturday, 7 May at 10:00 a.m, Sunday, 8 May at 11:00 a.m.
* Main Draw: Sunday, 8 May – Sunday, 15 May at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
* Doubles Final: TBC
* Singles Final: TBC
*View On Official Website

What is the prize money and points for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia?

The prize money for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia is €5,415,410 and the Total Financial Commitment is €6,008,275.

SINGLES
Winner: €836,355 / 1,000 points
Finalist: €456,720 / 600 points
Semi-finalist: €249,740/ 360 points
Quarter-finalist: €136,225 / 180 points
Round of 16: €72,865 / 90 points
Round of 32: €39,070 / 45 points
Round of 56: €21,650 / 10 points

DOUBLES (€ per team)
Winner: €252,980 / 1,000 points
Finalist: €135,180/ 600 points
Semi-finalist: €72,800 / 360 points
Quarter-finalist: €40,570 / 180 points
Round of 16: €21,830 / 90 points
Round of 32: €11,580 / 0 points

How can I watch the Internazionali BNL d’Italia?

Watch Live On Tennis TV
TV Schedule

How can I follow the Internazionali BNL d’Italia?

Hashtag: #IBI22
Facebook: @internazionalibnlditalia
Twitter: @InteBNLdItalia
Instagram: #IBI22

Who won the last edition of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in 2021?

Rafael Nadal won the 2021 Internazionali BNL d’Italia singles title with a 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 victory against Novak Djokovic in the championship match (Read & Watch). Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic lifted the doubles trophy in Rome with a 6-4, 7-6(4) triumph against Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in the final (Read More).

Who holds the Rome record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Rafael Nadal (10)
Most Titles, Doubles: Brian Gottfried, Raul Ramirez, Daniel Nestor, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (4)
Oldest Champion: Rafael Nadal, 34, in 2021
Youngest Champion: Bjorn Borg, 17, in 1974
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Ivan Lendl in 1986, 1988, Jim Courier in 1992, Pete Sampras in 1994, Rafael Nadal in 2009, Novak Djokovic in 2015, 2020
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 47 Felix Mantilla in 2003
Last Home Champion: Adriano Panatta in 1976
Most Match Wins: Rafael Nadal (68)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Key Storylines

Rafa Defends Crown: A mid-match surge from Djokovic was not enough to deny Nadal a 10th crown with a three-set win in the 2021 championship match, as the Spaniard extended his all-time record for most titles and most match wins (68) at the event in the process. Despite a rib injury suffered in March disrupting his most successful start to a season in 2022, the 35-year-old’s unrivalled record at the Foro Italico makes him the man to beat in Rome.

Novak Shoots For Six: Djokovic may have suffered disappointment at the final hurdle last year but the World No. 1 is a five-time champion himself in the Italian capital. The Serbian looks to have turned his slow start to 2022 around with a run to the final of his home tournament in Belgrade in April and will be aiming to improve an outstanding 59-10 match record at the fifth Masters 1000 event of the season.

Alcaraz To Make Debut: The red-hot 19-year-old has hit milestone after milestone in 2022. The Spaniard notched a maiden ATP 500 title in Rio de Janeiro in February and a first Masters 1000 crown in Miami in March, with another trophy in Barcelona also helping to push him into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time on 25 April. Although a debutant in Rome, Alcaraz arrives in the Italian capital a fully-fledged title contender.

Sinner Leads Italian Charge: Local fans will have some strong contenders to get behind in Rome despite the absence of Italian No. 1 Matteo Berrettini, who is recovering from hand surgery. Jannik Sinner has been solid in reaching four quarter-finals in 2022 without making a semi-final, but has never been past the third round at his home tournament. Also flying the flag for Italy will be Fabio Fognini, the 2018 quarter-finalist looking to build on reaching his second semi-final of the year in Belgrade two weeks ago.

Zverev & Tsitsipas Head Chasing Pack: Alexander Zverev has plenty of fond memories from Rome to motivate him as he hunts a first title of the season. The 25-year-old won his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Foro Italico in 2017, and the big-serving German looked back in top form after a difficult start to the year on his way to the semi-finals in Monte Carlo in April. It was Tsitsipas who topped Zverev in the final four on his way to defending his title in the Principality, demonstrating the sort of form that the Greek will hope can help him improve on his 2019 run to the semi-finals in Rome.

Did You Know?
Only two men lifted the trophy in Rome between 2005 and 2015, with Nadal clinching the title seven times and Djokovic four times across eleven editions of the event.

The standing ovation in the Manolo Santana Stadium was the best possible send off for Marc Lopez, who brought a brilliant ATP Tour career to an end on Thursday. Tribute was paid to the Spanish player on the Mutua Madrid Open clay in recognition of a lifetime of sporting achievements.

Marc says adios to the Tour with a brilliant professional career under his belt. He is one of the most decorated doubles players in modern tennis, with a total of 14 titles to his name, including the gold medal from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro with Rafael Nadal, the 2012 Nitto ATP Finals with Marcel Granollers and the Roland Garros crown he claimed with Feliciano Lopez. His achievements are now part of tennis history.

On an unforgettable day, the giant screens of the Manolo Santana Stadium showed an emotional homage to the Catalonian player, one of the best-loved among his peers. Nadal, Lopez and Granollers, the three doubles partners he has competed with throughout his career, had all recorded a heartfelt farewell for the memorable afternoon in the Spanish capital.

“’Bulet’, I hope you enjoyed your last game. It was a genuine pleasure to share practically a whole career with you,” said Nadal, with whom he won his first titles in the 2009 season. “Although it seems like it’s your last match, you never know. You’ve already said goodbye with Feli, now with Carlos. I think we should have our turn at some point in the future.”

The Catalonian has enjoyed a few emotional weeks on Tour. After competing with Lopez at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, an event he had always dreamt of winning and eventually conquered alongside the Toledo native in 2018, Marc wanted the Madrid event to be the stage for his final matches, alongside Carlos Alcaraz, the great promise of Spanish tennis.

“I just want to congratulate you for everything. You’ve had an incredible career and, more importantly, you’ve achieved your dream; reaching the pinnacle of tennis,” Nadal continued. “I’m so glad there are people like you, good people, who things go so well for. Enjoy it and I wish you the best for the future. We’ll continue to share that future together, big hugs,” ended the Mallorcan, who added Marc to his coaching staff in December 2021.

The Barcelona native was unable to hide his emotions as he listened to the man from Manacor, a trusty teammate who played a vital role in some of the most important moments in his career.

The event provided the perfect send off for a hugely important figure in the history of Spanish tennis, who claimed a number of titles rarely won by members of the Armada in men’s doubles. The Roland Garros, for the first time since 1990, the Nitto ATP Finals, last won by a Spanish duo in the 70s, and the Olympic gold, never previously won by his countrymen, were all claimed by a Spaniard with an innate talent for the game.

One of the most special moments came on the court of the Manolo Santana Stadium. Feliciano, the man with whom he shares his only Grand Slam title, presented him with a commemorative framed picture of the highlights of his career. Arm in arm, Marc Lopez and the director of the Mutua Madrid Open listened to the message the latter had recorded for his friend.

”As you can imagine, it’s not easy for me to record a message for you. First, I want to congratulate you on your incredible career,” Feliciano said. “You’ve been a great champion, I’ve been lucky enough to share those moments with you on court. I wish you the best in your new life, with María and Berta. I hope another child will come soon. If there were more people in the world like you, it would be a better place. I wish you well in everything you do”.

Granollers, also had some words for the man with whom he formed one of the most recognisable teams on Tour.

“I wanted to congratulate you on your great career. Thank you for all the great moments we have shared. Also, thank you for being a great friend,” Granollers said. “Now I hope that your future, which is also very important, is just as successful as your tennis career. I’ll see you around at tournaments. Thank you for everything.”

It was a farewell for an athlete who is greatly admired for the way he has always competed but, above all, he was praised for the person he has always been.