Rafael Nadal disagrees that Carlos Alcaraz lacks mental toughness despite the 21-year-old’s admission that he was experiencing mental difficulties following his shocking US Open elimination.

Carlos Alcaraz said he was having mental difficulties after his shocking US Open elimination, but Rafael Nadal doesn’t think the 21-year-old lacks mental toughness.

On Friday, Botic van de Zandschulp defeated Alcaraz in straight sets to advance to the third round of the competition, sending him hurtling out.

When the Spaniard revealed following the loss that he was mentally ill, it raised some red flags.

Alcaraz talked about it and said: “The truth is that what I feel right now is that instead of taking steps forward, I’ve taken steps back in terms of my head and I don’t understand why. Because I came from a spectacular summer, from Roland Garros, from Wimbledon, coming out of there saying that mentally I had taken a step forward like I had realised that to win big things or Grand Slams you had to be mentally tough. I come to this tour and it’s like I’ve taken steps back. It’s like I’m not well mentally. I’m not well, I’m not strong.”

However, Nadal disagrees with those remarks, believing Alcaraz only needs some time to relax. Earlier in the summer, the two played doubles at the Olympics in Paris.

Nadal expressed his thoughts about it and said: “I don’t think Carlos is mentally not strong. What he is is a little bit tired and saturated by everything he has achieved this summer, winning Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the silver in Paris. There is a certain moment when the mind also needs a little rest because in an Olympic year the calendar is even tighter and the demands are very high.”