Alcaraz, with 10 wins in a row, aims to match Nadal his best streak

Murcia, 18 Mar The young tennis player from Murcia Carlos Alcaraz Garfia, who has ten consecutive ATP victories, can match his best run on the professional circuit, which he achieved with ATP Challengers championships, if he beats Rafa Nadal this Saturday, in the Indian Wells semifinal. Alcaraz, who will turn 19 on May 5, has become, with his 6-4 and 6-3 triumph over British Cameron Norrie, the youngest semifinalist in the Indian Wells 1.000 ATP Masters since American André Agassi stood in that round in the 1988 edition before turning 18. Its evolution makes comparisons with Nadal inevitable, especially now that they will face each other at the BNP Paribas Open in California. Nadal himself naturally assumes a relay that will take place in his day, although the Balearic is still by far the best Spanish player of the moment and, considering the number of titles at the highest level - 21 Grand Slam wins - the best tennis player in the world in history. “Carlos's career can be unstoppable because it has all the ingredients, including passion and humility enough to work hard,” said Nadal after beating Australian Nick Kyrgios in the quarterfinals 7-6 (0), 5-7 and 6-4 with his mind set on Saturday's clash. In addition, he has highlighted that he is “a good guy” and reminds him “in many things” of himself “when he was 17 or 18 years old”. Nor does Alcaraz hide how he feels about a reference for him. “It's incredible to play against Rafa, my idol since I was a child,” he admitted. The Spanish duel in the Indian Wells semifinals will put two magnificent streaks at stake. El Palmar, the nineteenth player in the world today, will reach this event against number 4 with ten straight wins, a record of 12-1 this year, in which he won the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, and made his debut with Spain in the Davis Cup. Including the five matches with which he won the Next Gen ATP Finals championship in the Italian city of Milan, where he finished off a great 2021 for him, Alcaraz reaches 17-1. For his part, Nadal is completing an immaculate 2022 with 19 victories in as many matches and the titles of the Australian Open, the ATP 250 in Melbourne, also on ocean floor; and the ATP 500 in Acapulco, in Mexico, added to his extraordinary record. To date, the maximum number of consecutive matches won by Alcaraz is 11 and reached that mark by playing ATP Challenger tournaments, so the streak is much more demanding now. Previously, counting the ITF tournaments Alcaraz was able to link 14 wins. This Saturday will be the second match between Alcaraz and Nadal and the first one dates from May 5, just the day on which the man from Murcia turned 18. It was in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open and that of Manacor won by a resounding 6-1 and 6-2. From there, Juan Carlos Ferrero's pupil won the five victories with which he won the ATP Challenger de Oeiras, in Portugal; the three in the previous phase of Roland Garros and his first two matches in the final draw of the Parisian tournament until he fell to German Jan Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-7 (3) and 2-6. Rafa Nadal, who made his debut on the circuit in 2001, two years before Alcaraz was born, has already achieved 14 successes in a row between late 2002 and early 2003 in ATP and ITF tournaments. Already in the highest level circuit he reached 15 consecutive victories between February and March 2005, which led him to win the ATP 250 of Costa do Souipe, in Brazil; the ATP 500 of Acapulco, in Mexico; and to stand in the final of the Masters 1.000 in Miami, in which he lost to Swiss Roger Federer 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 3-6 and 1-1 6. At that time the one in Manacor was 18 years and 9 months old. Today, Alcaraz counts 18 years and 10 months. They are parallels with two decades of separation.