MANILA, Philippines — Rafael Nadal admitted his fitness level was well off the tour’s top players after falling Thursday in straight sets to fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who described the exhibition match as “a little bit sad.”
Nadal, 38, who announced last week he would retire from tennis after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next month, lost 6-3, 6-3 to Alcaraz in the semifinals of the “Six Kings Slam” event in Saudi Arabia.
Nadal described Alcaraz, 21, as an “animal” and acknowledged he was not competing at the highest level.
Alcaraz said he knew the Saudi crowd was against him but wanted to let Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slams, bask in the support.