OLYMPIC GAMES JULY 2024
SPAIN
We'll be staying here.
We don't spend much time here,
but it's where our physical therapists see us.
It was the living room.
So this is what we have.
There's a TV here so sometimes we can watch Spain play in other sports
whenever we get the chance.
Anyway, we leave Rafa's stuff here.
We leave a lot of stuff here so the rooms don't get cluttered.
You'll see what I mean.
And upstairs we have…
Well, this is the… Hold on. Let me close the bathroom door.
This is Rafa and Munar's room.
And Pedrito and I stay here.
Here are my things. The things we can have.
Pedrito sleeps there, and I'm here.
This is cardboard.
It's pretty narrow.
Sometimes I turn over in bed and feel like I'm gonna fall out.
Anyway, since we can sleep anywhere, we don't care.
It was always my dream to represent Spain in the Olympic Games.
And, of course, the icing on the cake was getting to be with Rafa
in my first Games and his last.
It'd be amazing to win that gold medal with Rafa.
CARLOS ALCARAZ MY WAY
- Here? - No, over here.
Yes?
- Upstairs. It's the next one. - Like the way to center court?
Oh, okay.
You know better than I do.
One of the major moments of the Games,
the tennis doubles pair of Rafa Nadal and Carlitos Alcaraz.
They are one of the doubles pairs on the Spanish team. What a show!
Come on, champs! You two are the best.
- Let's go, guys! - Let's go!
Carlitos, you're the best!
QUARTERFINALS MEN'S DOUBLES
4 HOURS BEFORE
The winner gets 15 euros, second place gets five,
and the two losers get ten.
- Got it? - Okay.
Parcheesi is sacred to him.
I've always joked with him, saying,
"Rafa, I'm the world champion at Parcheesi, right here."
He'd say, "What are you talking about? You're a rookie."
Roll the dice. You're up, man.
- Oh, great. - A bit of luck.
Not bad.
Damn! Look at the rookie. You're gonna block me with a five.
But let me tell you, you're not gonna win.
Not at Parcheesi, at least!
Rafa is where he is because he's a winner.
He hates losing, even at Parcheesi, as the saying goes.
This never fails. A backhand shot.
The rivalry they spark in a game of Parcheesi
feels like they're playing for a Grand Slam title.
- He's coming in. - He's coming.
- Damn, he'll do the… - Finish him off!
- Let's go! - Man!
- That's some shit, man. - Let's go!
And bang! I won.
- Nice. - Damn, bro.
Damn!
Parcheesi is a game of luck, and you play one game.
Obviously, if we'd played 100 games, I would've beaten him many more times.
QUARTERFINALS
Playing with Rafa is something I'll always do with pride and passion.
I'll give everything I've got to ensure that,
in his final Olympics, he goes out in the best way possible…
Come on, let's go, guys.
Come on!
Let's go.
…with a medal, which is what he deserves.
Everyone assumes Rafa and Carlos are going to win the gold medal.
For Carlos, this means even more pressure.
Neither of us normally play doubles. It was our first time playing together.
Naturally, Carlos was nervous to play in his first Olympic Games.
And that day, we didn't play well enough,
and we faced some exceptionally brilliant opponents.
Ultimately, we really doubted ourselves. And it took its toll on us.
We weren't comfortable. We weren't at ease.
They played against two American players
who specialize in doubles,
and they ended up losing.
It really fucked me up
because this dream just vanished into thin air.
That possibility was gone.
It hurt me a lot.
Yesterday, you played doubles. You slept very little.
- It was a tough match. - There's no excuse, man.
You should be proud, okay?
It hurt me because I think it was my last chance to win a medal.
And winning it with him would've meant something truly special.
But it didn't happen.
You miss your opportunity, and in the end, it's complicated.
I believe that, at that moment, he couldn't let himself fall apart
simply because he had a greater challenge ahead of him,
which was winning the singles gold medal.
Well, I told Carlos that if he made it to the finals,
obviously, I'd come, man, and…
When I arrived, he didn't seem rattled. I asked him about it.
He said he's doing great and is well-prepared.
While losing in doubles with Rafa had obviously upset him,
now he's shifted his focus back to the singles
and is feeling great.
On a tactical level, you know him well.
You have to be one step ahead of his regular tactics.
When he comes up to the net, remember the down-the-line shots.
When you're near the alley, go for more down-the-line shots.
Go for it. Don't hold back.
Otherwise, you'll regret it. Don't hold back.
Overpower him physically.
You've got two absolute tree trunks down there.
Mentally, go after it. Really go for it. Let's go.
The biggest challenge in the final is Novak Djokovic.
Especially after Wimbledon, where he had an outstanding result.
That final, I knew Djokovic would bring his A-game
because it was his last shot at winning those Olympics,
which was what he wanted most in the world.
Novak showed up to the final with incredible energy.
He looked like a 20-year-old kid.
It was a hard-fought match.
Carlos started getting more and more nervous.
That added pressure of going for the medal kept him from playing his best.
That was a very painful moment as well.
To be honest, it's…
Hold on.
Relax.
Take your time, Carlitos. Take your time.
Well…
- Well… - You're the best, Carlos! The best!
It was a tough moment for Carlos.
The fatigue from the whole week caught up with him.
He had played singles and doubles.
And that day,
Carlos hits rock bottom.
And then, we had the Cincinnati incident.
AUGUST 2024
Thirty-fifteen.
I exploded.
I didn't have enough mental strength to bear it.
I didn't really know what I needed.
I didn't know if I needed to stop.
Maybe I was losing the passion.
I thought that going there and playing and feeling like that,
I might as well not go and quit tennis.
He snapped that day. He exploded.
Especially the way he did it.
He was full of rage and full of anxiety.
He took it out on his racket, smashing it hard three or four times.
He was in a pretty bad place.
I called him to see if he wanted to shoot hoops with me. He came down.
We talked a bit and spent quality time together as brothers.
It's not good for him to just lock himself in his room,
to overthink things and scroll through his phone.
He'd see what happened all over the internet.
We'd never seen him like this before. Carlos Alcaraz lost his temper in the…
We don't remember ever seeing him like that,
with such a furious outburst.
We saw an unhinged Alcaraz
who lost control once he stopped dominating the match.
He apologized for his behavior.
Yeah.
It really was a tough moment for me.
It was…
It was tough.
AUGUST 2024
After Cincinnati, I wanted to get better,
to wipe the slate clean heading into the US Open,
which was the big tournament.
But… I couldn't do it either.
What am I looking for there?
Oh, Charlie, goddamn it.
- Here we go again. Come on. - Unbelievable.
Let's go!
Game, set, match, Van de Zandschulp.
To beat the top players, it has to be your day.
Van de Zandschulp had his, and Carlos clearly didn't.
In my head, sometimes I have…
In my head, I often have a puzzle that I can't solve.
I want one thing, not another.
Honestly, sometimes I don't even know what I want.
It makes me feel a little overwhelmed
and unsure of what to do.
Game, set, and match goes to Sinner.
Jannik didn't play in the Olympic Games, so that gives him a big advantage.
He's coming in well-prepared to play a strong US Open.
After the US Open, I didn't want to touch a racket.
I said, "I don't want to touch a racket for a week and a half, maybe two."
I told him we hadn't had time to train since Roland-Garros.
And he said, "Well, I'm going to Formula One."
And I said, "Carlos, now's not the time for Formula One."
He didn't give me a say in it.
He just said, "I'm going, and that's how it is."
At the end of the day, to be the best in history,
you have to be a slave.
Otherwise, you'll have to come to terms with the idea
that you might not ever reach your full potential.
SEPTEMBER 2024
Those days were good for me.
I disconnected and managed to put everything that happened behind me.
Going to Laver was a change of pace, and it helped me a ton.
The Laver Cup is a team tournament where Europe faces the rest of the world.
- Have you talked with Federer? - No, I haven't seen him yet.
The truth is, when he was warming up,
he was around the court, in the locker room.
I was with my physical therapist, so I couldn't see him.
But hopefully, I'll get the chance to see him soon.
I was really excited to compete in the Laver Cup.
And obviously, I knew Federer would be there.
That was a big motivation for me.
When you picture Roger, you'd always see him on court,
and he was a player who made everything look effortless.
For me, Roger is like the tennis playbook.
His technique, his composure, his posture, his elegance.
Nobody else makes it look that easy. Sometimes, he barely breaks a sweat.
He's different from the rest, and I also feel the same way.
- He'll be here soon. Okay? - What?
He'll be here soon.
Very good. Strong.
It's there.
Having seen, for example, Roger or Rafa has been incredible.
But for the younger generation, it's a lot of pressure.
You know? Everyone expects us to do what they've done.
And that sucks because, shit, those guys are from another planet.
You sleep, eat, and breathe tennis,
to the point where it's almost too much to handle.
Just striving for that is already… I don't know, unheard-of.
To accomplish what Novak, Roger, or I, myself, have done,
you need to feel that the sacrifices are worth it and that they pay off, right?
If you feel you're sacrificing too much,
you definitely won't make it, because you'll burn out too soon.
I'm fortunate to be able to learn from each of them.
How could you not learn from the best players in history?
From Rafa Nadal, from Roger Federer.
I asked him what he did to stay motivated for so many years.
Year after year after year.
He said you've got to enjoy the journey.
You need to have fun at the tournaments, wherever you go.
Friends, things to do.
Go to the movies. Go to…
Always have something fun to do wherever you go.
Good evening. This is the news that has left all of Spain heartbroken.
The greatest Spanish athlete is retiring.
What a career it has been, spanning 23 years.
Twenty-two Grand Slams, 14 Roland-Garros.
"Everything that begins has an end."
With these words, Rafa Nadal announced his retirement.
The person that inspired you to be a professional tennis player
leaves tennis.
I love you, Rafa!
I've asked him questions. I've learned a lot.
I've had the opportunity to take in so much
and try to apply it to my career.
But I'd give all that up
for the feeling of being able to talk to him one-on-one,
like he's a friend.
It has been an incredible privilege.
We've had a great time,
reached so many beautiful milestones together,
and now it's your time to continue the journey…
Rafa's legacy is his incredible dedication and sacrifice for tennis,
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
And that's what people expect from Carlos.
…and leaves a legacy forever, Rafa Nadal!
Rafa has been a role model of determination and perseverance.
And now, Carlos has to decide who he wants to be.
SPAIN WE ALL STAND WITH VALENCIA
I need to be prepared,
mentally recharged,
with plenty of days off after key moments.
And with at least a solid week of training to feel ready.
I need both things.
I think it comes down to two things. One, learning from your mistakes.
And second, and this is really important,
you have to find the balance between taking time off,
training, and staying motivated.
- And that's not easy. - Right.
Recently, you went to Formula One. I said, "Carlos, now's not the time."
And you said, "No, it is. I need it." I said, "I don't think it's the time."
In the end, you went. It was your choice. Whether it was the right decision or not…
But there will be many times that I won't agree with you.
- Yeah. - You know that.
No, you're right.
But, of course, it also depends on the moment.
Because a lot of times, I find myself thinking,
"Maybe I'm focusing too much on things that really aren't that important."
After all, I play tennis because I really enjoy it.
But there are times when I don't feel that way.
There are tournaments where I'm playing more out of obligation.
I'm thinking about my ranking, about bonuses, about other things.
And it's like I lose sight of what's really important for me.
I always say this, and you know it. And I think you feel the same way.
We both want to be at that top table, right? But…
But sometimes, it's like, "How?" You know?
You have to find your own "how."
- Exactly. - Your "how."
That's it.
But with professionalism and common sense.
- Yes, with balance. Sure. - Finding the right moments and situations.
There will be times you feel like doing something else.
And as you grow and mature,
you'll get a much clearer sense of what you need
and what you really have to do.
We're here to help you and to tell you hard truths.
- Whether it be a yes or no. Then… - Yeah, sure.
- Man, that's actually what I need. - Sure.
I need people who are straight with me,
not people who just go along with everything I say. So…
- All right. - Keep going.
- Let's keep going. - Forward.
Let's keep going.
OCTOBER 2024
Now I focus on reminding him of who he is, not what he needs to do.
Carlos isn't a normal athlete.
He's not a normal person either.
Science and our mindset tell us we need to do things a certain way.
But then, without doing any of that, he goes and wins the tournament.
He's from another planet.
And we have to be there to learn, to improve alongside him.
There's no other way.
If we want him to do something extraordinary,
we have to be just as extraordinary as he is.
Carlos has taught me to be more flexible,
that life also has joyful moments you need to know how to enjoy.
I learn from him, from how he manages different situations,
and from how he connects with people.
Since Carlos came into my life, I see myself as a different person,
happier, more easygoing at times.
And that's brought us closer, made us feel like a family.
We're all learning.
We're all learning to adapt to how Carlos is
and, from there, to bring out the best in him
so he can truly become the greatest in history.
In the end, you only live once.
And it's important to enjoy life while having clear goals.
At 21, you don't always see things that clearly.
And, well, what matters is that you end up feeling fulfilled,
able to say, "Wow, I enjoyed the process, the journey,
and thank you for being there to help me."
I care so much about Carlos
that I'd rather fail professionally than have him turn around one day and say,
"Damn, I wasn't happy."
"I achieved all this, Albert, but I wasn't happy."
That would destroy me.
Big-time.
My dream right now is being one of the best in history.
Yes, I want to sit at the table with the Big Three.
Yes.
Is my mindset to do everything possible,
take on everything,
and do whatever it takes to be the best in history?
Right now, I don't know.
I'm still young, and there's a lot of life ahead of me.
But from what I've experienced,
I'd choose happiness over massive success.
Because happiness is already success.
And it's not an easy thing to find.
CARLOS ALCARAZ MY WAY
Subtitle translation by: Lee Pollard