Carlos Alcaraz was forced to apologize after smashing his racket during his Cincinnati Masters defeat to Gael Monfils on Friday – but his Paris Olympics doubles partner Rafael Nadal would have been far from impressed.
Rafael Nadal has previously made his feelings clear on smashing rackets (Image: (Image: GETTY))
Rafael Nadal, the tennis star who has graced 30 Grand Slam finals and emerged victorious in 22 of them, revealed in a past interview that his family would never have permitted him to smash a racket on court.
Those comments speak volumes as reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz was forced to apologize after demolishing his racket during a surprising second-round loss to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Masters on Friday.
Nadal, known for maintaining his cool even under extreme pressure, was asked in a 2019 CBS’ 60 Minutes interview about the number of rackets he had broken. His response was a smiling zero, formed with his finger and thumb.
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He further elaborated: “My family, they wouldn’t have allowed me to break a racket. For me, breaking a racket means I’m not in control of my emotions.”