Tranlate this title Rory McIlroy and the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry in spanish

Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, world number two and winner of last year’s Masters Tournament, confessed that he has been «very inspired» by tennis players Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic, and by soccer players Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to continue striving for more titles despite his age. McIlroy also spoke about the rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner, praising both of them in their current form.

Rory McIlroy, statements

McIlroy, who will turn 37 next Monday, won his second consecutive Masters on April 12, his sixth major title overall, after completing the Grand Slam last year with his first victory at Augusta.

“I’ve been very inspired by other athletes, even those nearing the end of their careers who are still achieving great things. I think of Novak, Roger, and Rafa in tennis, or Messi and Ronaldo in soccer, or Tom Brady in American football… I’m not old, but I’m certainly older than I used to be. I’m inspired by them and what they achieved at the end of their careers. That gave me the conviction that one day I could do it at Augusta too,” the Northern Irishman said in an interview with the Laureus Foundation.

This organization awarded McIlroy the Comeback Award at the ceremony held in Madrid on April 20, after he completed the Grand Slam last year, becoming the sixth golfer to achieve this feat.

Despite reaching this milestone, the world number two affirmed that he hasn’t lost his desire to win more titles: «I’m still competitive, I feel I still have a lot to offer. I’m at a point in my career where I really have to aim for the biggest events, the four majors, the Ryder Cup. Trying to increase that number is very important to me.»

McIlroy revealed that at the recent Masters, where Nadal was a spectator, he had the support of the Spanish tennis player: «He would leave me voice messages at the end of each day, and it’s great to have one of the legends of the sport cheering you on like that, and for him to know what it feels like to be in that position… It’s truly incredible.»

He highlighted his love for tennis, finding similarities with golf as both individual sports: «They are very mentally demanding and challenging in their own way. Rafa and Roger have already retired. Novak hasn’t retired yet, but he’s undoubtedly entering the final stretch of his career. We were all wondering, ‘Who will be next?’ And then Carlos (Alcaraz) and Jannik (Sinner) appeared, two players who are demonstrating incredible tennis.»

«What makes this rivalry so special is that they have very different styles. Carlos plays with passion, with his heart on his sleeve. Jannik, on the other hand, is like a robot, he doesn’t make mistakes, it’s a spectacle to watch him hit the ball. I think the contrast in styles… as a tennis fan, it excites me a lot and makes me want to see them compete for years to come,» he added.

The Northern Irish player indicated that he would like to play a round of golf with Alcaraz, a big fan of the sport whom he met last year at the U.S. Open. «I know he loves golf and plays quite a lot. I think he plays on any free day during a tournament, so I hope we can play a round together someday.»