Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz plea made as Alcaraz to take on key role

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Spain’s Davis Cup Captain has shared a plea for fans to enjoy Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz playing at the same time following constant comparisons between the two. The 19-year-old has shown some close parallels with the world No 2’s career so far, becoming the first teenager to win a Grand Slam since Nadal himself 17 years ago.

Alcaraz has long drawn comparisons to Nadal, showing some eerie similarities to the 35-year-old from his own days as a Spanish teenage sensation. The current world No 1 won his first Barcelona Open title earlier this year on the exact same date that Nadal won the first of his 10 in 2005, and entered the top 5 the following day – 17 years to the day that the elder Spaniard made his own top 5 debut.

The 19-year-old has since gone on to win his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open, becoming the first teenager to earn a Major trophy since the world No 2 at the 2005 French Open. But the Davis Cup captain to both men has urged fans to stop comparing the two and enjoy watching their talent.

Speaking about Alcaraz, Sergi Bruguera said: “He is number one in the world, he is 19 years old and of course, he is a different player.” While the six-time title winner is just beginning his career while the 22-time Grand Slam champion nears the end of his, the former world No 3 said fans should simply appreciate both men.

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“You have to enjoy both Carlos and Nadal,” he added. “You don’t have to talk about generational change but enjoy both.” Bruguera has long worked with the elder Spaniard during his time as the country’s Davis Cup captain, while Alcaraz has played just two ties for the country – both coming this year.

But the teenager will step up to lead the squad at next month’s Davis Cup Finals in Malaga as the country’s – and the world’s – top ranked player. Nadal is absent from the team representing Spain while Alcaraz will be joined by Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Bautista Agut, doubles star Marcel Granollers and a yet-to-be-selected fifth member.

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Bruguera revealed that Nadal had told him he may not be available for the Davis Cup this season, with the world No 2 missing Spain’s two previous ties this year. “At the beginning of the year he already told me not to count on him, that he would not be for the Davis Cup,” the captain said.

“He always has been, but this time he isn’t. He has the right to choose. He has won many Davis Cups.” Spain will face Croatia in the quarter-final stage on November 23, with the opposition boasting a tough team including former world No 3 Marin Cilic, recent Cincinnati Masters champion Borna Coric and former world No 1 doubles players Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic.

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