Alcaraz on Nadal: "It was hard to accept that my idol will never play again".

Carlos Alcaraz brilliantly qualified for the third round following his victory over Yoshihito Nishioka.

In the post-match press conference, he was asked about Rafel Nadal's farewell. Alcaraz replied: "It was a privilege for me to share the final moments of Rafa's career.

Playing the Olympic doubles with him. It was a masterclass for me. I tried to learn and enjoy every second I spent with him at the Olympics.

Sharing moments off the court, talking with him about tennis. About life. I tried to draw advice and lessons from this moment.

Obviously, the Davis Cup, his last moment on the court, was special. It was special for me. It was special for everyone.

Someone like Rafa retired from tennis. It was hard to accept that my idol would never play professional matches again. At the same time, I tried to enjoy the moment.

That's one of the reasons why I want to win this tournament one day. To put my name on that short list.

I work every day to be ready for that moment. I hope it'll be this year. Right now, I'm thinking about the next round. I hope to go further.