Rafa on court after Brisbane loses 3-6, 6-4, 14-12 in the exhibition in Las Vegas: “The clay season could be my last”
Giuseppe Di Giovanni
4 March 2024 (change at 3.25pm) – MILAN
What was called the “Netflix Slam” inflamed the audience at the Michelob Ultra Arena (12,000-seat covered field) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. And it is Carlos Alcaraz who beats Rafa Nadal 3-6, 6-4, 14-12 in this world-class event between the two Spanish phenomena, broadcast live on Netflix. A further demonstration that the streaming platform giant has an eye for tennis and, above all, for the great champions with racket in hand. There was enormous curiosity and many question marks even for the players on the pitch. Nadal, who hadn’t played since early January (Brisbane), will go to Indian Wells with many doubts about his condition, but tonight (in a match obviously with little competitive spirit) he appeared quite on the ball. Carlitos, in great difficulty at the start of the season, left Rio de Janeiro in a bad way, with a sprained ankle. The leg showed no signs of giving up and this was the news that the phenomenon from Murcia was looking for in this match. “It’s a match that serves as a test for Indian Wells,” said his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
HE MATCH
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Alcaraz is as foul on serve as he is on the exchange, while Rafa does simple things, but his forehand is dominant. At the change of ends, at 5-2, the Mallorca champion dedicated a thought to his son Rafa Junior, present at the stadium. “He still doesn’t understand, but maybe one day… Playing in front of him is a great emotion, but soon he will have to leave, he needs to sleep (he will stay with his mother in the stands until the end, ed.)”. The first set ends 6-3 for Nadal, who starts badly in the second set, going 0-3 down (the opposite of what happened in the first match). From this moment on the match becomes a 360 degree exhibition. Veronicas and muffled by Carlitos, old school accelerations by Rafa: the result speaks to the delirium of the American public. Alcaraz finds himself ahead 5-2 and seems destined to prolong the match, but he creates another disaster on serve and reopens everything. Not bad, because Carlos takes the break back and sends the match to a super tie-break with a best of 10 points. The audience is all behind Nadal and now there is a standing ovation at every point. At 9-7 Alcaraz has two match points, but Rafa cancels them, finding a sumptuous forehand on the second (the point of the match). Carlos takes the match and the first Netflix Slam on the sixth occasion and after a few too many errors, winning 14-12 and thanking the man who represented his source of inspiration.
THE EVENT
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The importance that the Americans have attributed to the event, right from the pre-match with a panel of experts among which Agassi and Roddick stand out, is that of an all-round world event, comparable to the Super Bowl, All Star Game and WrestleMania. Presenting the entrance to the pitch and describing the match are Patrick McEnroe and Jim Courier, while there are many celebrities present at the arena. From Michael Douglas to Catherine Zeta-Jones, passing through various NBA stars and quarterback Matthew Stafford, winner of the 2021 Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams.
THE CHAMPIONS
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Shortly before the match Carlos and Rafa met Andrè Agassi and Nadal was very honest about what he expects in the immediate future. “I don’t know what level I’m at, just being here is great news. For me the priority is to try to get out of Indian Wells unscathed. Then I’m aiming for the clay season, which could be the last for me. I haven’t decided yet “. Alcaraz, with the usual big smile on his face, recalled with pleasure that when Rafa won his first Slam (Paris 2005) he was only 2 years old. “For me he is a reference and an idol, being with him on the pitch means enjoying every second of the game.” Everything is beautiful, but in a few days it will get serious, with the first Masters 1000 of the season.
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