Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal played an exciting exhibition match in Las Vegas on Sunday in preparation for the ATP Indian Wells Masters. After losing five match points, Alcaraz achieved a closely win by 3-6, 6-4, 14-12.

The match, which took place at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and was broadcast live on Netflix, was an opportunity for both Spaniards to assess their physical condition and readiness for the upcoming ATP tournaments. Rafa Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slams, was sidelined for most of last year with a hip injury suffered during the Australian Open.

He returned to competition at the Brisbane International in January but suffered another setback - a minor muscle tear - which forced the 37-year-old to withdraw from the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne. He was feeling "much better than expected", he told interviewer and former tennis star Mary Joe Fernandez.

Nadal finished runner-up at the 2022 ATP Indian Wells Masters, losing to Taylor Fritz in the final in his last appearance at the tournament. World number two Carlos Alcaraz will defend the Indian Wells title he won last year, beating Medvedev in the final. No one has won the US tournament twice in a row since Djokovic did it three times between 2014 and 2026.

It was less than a fortnight ago that 20-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz suffered his latest injury. He was forced to withdraw from his first-round match at the Rio Open after rolling his right ankle on only the second point of the match against Thiago Monteiro, but it appears he will be ready to play in Indian Wells.