The life of an elite tennis player can be demanding for those aiming to stay at the top. However, Carlos Alcaraz appears to challenge this notion, as he addressed in his documentary, “Carlos Alcaraz: My Way”. Tennis legend Rafael Nadal, however, doesn’t believe the documentary accurately reflects how Alcaraz approaches his professional career.
Alcaraz’s philosophy has sparked debate, particularly with his statement that he wants to become the greatest of all time, but on his terms—without feeling like a slave to the rigorous demands of tennis.
Following the remarks from the four-time Grand Slam champion, a broader discussion emerged about whether pushing one’s body and mind to the limit is necessary to achieve greatness. Nadal addressed the topic during an interview with L’Équipe.
“I think there’s this debate because the documentary on Carlos seemed to reflect this,” Nadal stated. “However, knowing Carlos a little, I think the documentary doesn’t reflect his personality or the way he lives his career. He doesn’t come across as a tennis player who trains, but as someone who likes to party, who needs it, who isn’t very professional. It’s just not true”.
Nadal defended Alcaraz’s work ethic, emphasizing that the young star is a consummate professional. “Carlos is a great professional. He’s a person who works very hard to bring his tennis and his physique to the highest level. I think the documentary was approached in the wrong way, because people’s perception is different from what his real life is,” Nadal explained.
When asked about whether players must push themselves to the limit to achieve greatness, Nadal was clear. “Nobody’s forcing you to do anything. You decide what you want to do, how far you want to go. Nobody pushes you,” he said.
Nadal rejects the ‘slave of tennis’ notion
Alcaraz admitted in his documentary that his greatest fear is viewing tennis as an obligation, potentially becoming a slave to the sport. In contrast, Nadal, with over two decades of professional experience, said he has never felt that way about the game.
“No, not at all,” Nadal said when asked if he had sacrificed 20 years of his life to tennis. “I’ve been very happy playing tennis, but I’ve been happy in other ways, off the court too. I’ve worked hard on a tennis court or in the gym, but my life has always been worth much more than tennis”.
He elaborated, “I haven’t lost myself. A childhood for tennis? Certainly not. I often went out with my friends. Of course, it wasn’t every Friday and Saturday, because in the end, if you want to stay in this life, it’s always a question of priorities. But I’ve never been a tennis slave or a tennis obsessive”.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion also emphasized that he’s lived his life on his own terms. “I lived my career as normal, putting in a lot of effort every time I was on court. But I’ve had plenty of time in my life to enjoy my family, my friends, partying, the sea, and other sports,” he said. “I don’t feel I’ve sacrificed anything. I did what I felt like doing, what I wanted to do, and I’ve been lucky enough to have a life beyond tennis”.