Carlos Alcaraz stopped during his heating before his semifinals French Open against Lorenzo Musetti to take a commemorative plaque of Rafael Nadal in the court Philippe-Catrier. The calm gesture was a tribute to his child’s idol – a player whose legacy in Roland Garros emerged.
The plaque, installed at the beginning of this year, contains the famous trail of Odal and the Trophy French Open Trophy. It boasts an incredible record of Spanish 14 titles at the tournament and became a symbolic place for players and fans. Alcaraz’s respectable gesture, which was caught on the camera, was fast and hit the chord with tennis fans around the world.
Watch the video here:
Carlos Alcaraz will take a picture of Rafa Nadal on Philippe-Chamrier before his semifinals Roland Garroso
Love it.
pic.twitter.com/cpwdsq2yr2– tennis letter (@tetensletter) 6th June 2025
“I think it was the first time I could warm up before the match here in the chatrier, so I tried to make the best use of time. I took the time in his photo. When I saw a little Rafa Nadal in Philippe Chatrier, while I play, it is a great inspiration.”
“I try not to think too much about it during the match, but in hard matches I think about the effort and level of Rafa, how it continues to fight. He never gives up. I try to think about it and try to do it myself.
Soon after a while, Alcaraz advanced to his second consecutive final of the French Open. His opponent Museti retired at the beginning of the fourth set due to his thigh injury. Mouseti took the first set 6-4, but Alcaraz bounced back to win two more and lead 2-0 in the fourth when the match ended.
Despite the hard beginning of Alcaraz, he moved the gear in the second set and dominated the assembly with his movement and aggressive game. The match was formed as an exciting battle before the injury shortens him.
Alcaraz often scored Nadal as his greatest inspiration and accepted a comparison with the “King of Hlína”. Many now see him as Nadal’s natural successor in Roland Garros-and his silent honor before the semifinal was a symbolic nod to this passage of torch.
Published:
Debodinna Chakracorty
Published on:
June 7, 2025
