Rafael Nadal Loses Comeback Match as Carlos Alcaraz Claims Netflix Slam

Las Vegas: For many months, there was a lot of hype around Rafael Nadal’s comeback. The anticipation was high as fans believed Nadal would be back at his best when he returns to the tennis court after his hip injury, but that was not to be as the Spaniard was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz 3-6 6-4 14-12 in their exhibition match, known as The Netflix Slam, in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The iconic Spanish star played his first match since his injury in Brisbane which ruled him out of the Australian Open. He missed almost a year of tennis due to a hip injury and made his comeback at the Brisbane International.

Nadal was expected to make his much-awaited return at the Qatar Open, but he pulled out of that at the last minute. Nadal started well against Alcaraz, taking the first set 3-6. But then, Alcaraz found his range and it became difficult for Nadal to match the young gun. Alcaraz bounced back to take the second set 6-4 and level things up. In the decider as well, Nadal pushed Alcaraz to the limit, saving five match points before eventually losing it. Nadal looks in good touch ahead of the India Wells, where he is a three-time champion.