A non-public masterclass with Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz | ATP Tour

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A non-public masterclass with Nadal, Sinner and Alcaraz

17-year-old Andres Santamarta’s experiences at this week’s Davis Cup

November 21, 2024

“How outdated are you?”
“17.”

“What are you taking part in in in the mean time?”
“Junior tournaments, I used to be planning to be within the USA this week.”

“What about subsequent yr?”
“I’d wish to get a superb end result on the Junior Grand Slams, to enhance as a participant and make the leap to actual tennis, with adults.”

“Stick at it, it’s a protracted street, however crucial factor is that you just get pleasure from it.”

The phrases of recommendation got here from Rafael Nadal, he was speaking to Andres Santamarta. The 17-year-old loved the expertise of a lifetime this week on the Davis Cup Finals, the place he had the privilege of forming a part of the Spanish staff as a sparring accomplice.

Rafael Nadal with 17-year-old Andres Santamarta on the 2024 Davis Cup Closing 8. ” type=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/pictures/information/2024/11/21/16/29/nadal-santamarta-davis-cup-2024.jpg?w=100percent25″>
^{Picture Credit score: Andres Santamarta}

Throughout the days main as much as the competitors, he practised with the 22-time Grand Slam champion. “To me Rafa is a task mannequin. I’ve watched him for therefore a few years, on the high for so long as I can bear in mind. I’m very fortunate and I hope I can study one thing from him and apply it to my tennis, to my sport,” he instructed ATPTour.com.

For Santamarta, the present No. 1308 within the PIF ATP Rankings, it was a masterclass. In addition to sharing a locker room with Nadal at his farewell match, he did the identical with the very participant who’s destined to proceed his legacy, Carlos Alcaraz, together with Roberto Bautista Agut, Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martínez.

“I really feel very fortunate to have been in a position to share this second with these 5 and with the entire staff generally,” added Santamarta, who tried to be a sponge and soak up as many classes as attainable all through the week.

The younger participant was unable to share any time on court docket with Alcaraz, who arrived in Malaga from the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin and didn’t have as lengthy to arrange. Nevertheless, it was not the primary time the 2 had met.

Coincidentally, ultimately yr’s Mutua Madrid Open they had been champions within the occasion’s two males’s singles classes: ATP Masters 1000 (Alcaraz) and Underneath-16 (Santamarta). “Sure, we had our picture taken on the Mutua Madrid Open when he received. He congratulated me and, now that I consider it, he instructed me virtually the identical as Rafa, to maintain going, that it’s a really lengthy street.”

Jannik Sinner on the Davis Cup Closing 8 in Malaga.” type=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/pictures/information/2024/11/21/16/35/santamarta-sinner-davis-cup-2024-practice.jpg”>
^{Picture Credit score: Andres Santamarta}

Even supposing Spain’s journey on the Davis Cup got here to an abrupt finish within the quarter-finals, Santamarta’s journey in Malaga continued into Wednesday. The Spaniard, who has 5 factors in his PIF ATP Rankings account, was the person on the opposite aspect of the online as world No. 1 Jannik Sinner hit his first balls upon arrival on the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena.

“However I used to be additionally pleased as a result of he’s the world No. 1 and I actually needed to share a apply session with him. I actually liked it. I love him.”

 

As soon as on court docket, Santamarta forgot his nerves and, simply as Nadal had suggested a number of days earlier than, he loved the chance. “I felt very comfy,” he says. “The factor that actually struck me was the depth, the identical as with Rafa. He’s a really relaxed man, he doesn’t get irritated, and he performs with such depth. He misses and he’s already ready for the subsequent ball. The factor I like about Sinner is how he strikes and his backhand.”

As a participant on the GTennis Academy in his native Valencia, he had already practised with some elite gamers, however by no means of ‘this calibre’, as he put it.

“I’ve discovered a lot and I actually prefer it, as a result of it’s a superb expertise to hit balls and prepare with high gamers. I’m going to attempt to take the positives, what I’ve discovered from them on and off the court docket.”

He has a want: “I wish to begin with actual tennis, the ATP and all of the tournaments with adults, the place you may actually see the expertise. I hope I can adapt, as a result of it’s a extremely huge change, the tennis could be very totally different, the way in which they play and suppose.”

Now, with so many reminiscences, hope, need and a few priceless recommendation, he’ll return residence to proceed to make his manner alongside that lengthy street that lies forward.