{"id":49347,"date":"2025-05-19T03:02:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T03:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=49347"},"modified":"2025-05-19T03:02:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T03:02:14","slug":"rafael-nadal-sends-heartfelt-message-to-carlos-alcaraz-after-italian-open-final-heroics-against-jannik-sinner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=49347","title":{"rendered":"Rafael Nadal sends heartfelt message to Carlos Alcaraz after Italian Open final heroics against Jannik Sinner"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Carlos
Carlos Alcaraz (left), Rafael Nadal (center), Jannik Sinner (right), Sources: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Rafael Nadal heartily congratulated compatriot Carlos Alcaraz after the latter engineered a remarkable win over Jannik Sinner in the men’s singles final of the 2025 Italian Open. The victory marked Alcaraz’s maiden title in Rome, a title that Nadal won on a record ten occasions during his playing days.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, May 18, Alcaraz and Sinner reignited their rivalry on the Foro Italico’s ‘Campo Centrale’ or Center Court, having last played against each other in the final of last year’s China Open. The first set was a tight affair, but eventually, the Spaniard clinched it 7-6(5). The second set though, was almost entirely lopsided, as Alcaraz dictated proceedings and went on to win it 6-1.<\/p>\n

After\u00a0Carlos Alcaraz’s seventh ATP Masters 1000-level title triumph, the now-retired\u00a0Rafael Nadal\u00a0took to X (formerly Twitter) and reacted to a ‘good night’ post shared by the newly-crowned champion in Rome featuring a picture of himself kissing the Italian Open trophy. Nadal wrote:<\/p>\n

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“\u00a1Enhorabuena (Congratulations) @carlosalcaraz ! \ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffb\ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffb”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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