Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal will pair up at the Olympics. (Image: Getty)
Carlos Alcaraz might be the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, but he still knows his place when it comes to tennis legend Rafael Nadal. The two Spaniards will form an intriguing partnership when they play in the doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympics this month, in what will be Nadal’s final bow at a summer games.
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The 38-year-old already has two gold medals to his name, having prevailed in the men’s singles in Beijing in 2008.
Eight years later, he teamed up with Marc Lopez to take the doubles crown in Rio, making him the only tennis player in Olympic history to win gold in both formats.
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And the ‘King of Clay’ appears determined to sign off on a high note at Roland Garros, the scene of 14 of his 22 Grand Slam triumphs. He even skipped Wimbledon this summer in order to concentrate his efforts on both the French Open and the Olympics.
Speaking to ABC Sports, Alcaraz revealed the pair would not discuss tactics until they both arrived in France. And despite his status as the sport’s rising star, the 21-year-old admitted that he would be letting his partner take the lead.
“Not much,” he said, when asked if he’s been oil contact with Nadal about their partnership. “He’s also doing his thing, we’re doing ours. We talk very little, but when we’re at the Games, we’ll talk about doubles and, above all, how we’re going to do it.
Nadal celebrates his second Olympic gold medal in Brazil. (Image: Getty)
“I’m not nervous right now. When the time comes, I will be. And yes, obviously, he’s already experienced this, he already knows what it’s like to play in the Olympics, to win a gold in both singles and doubles. I’m new, I’m the rookie here, so I have to keep my mouth shut and just listen to him.”
For the world No.3, it will be a first Olympic Games. When the partnership was confirmed earlier this month, he told the Tennis Channel he was targeting glory in both formats, and described his paring with Nadal as a “dream.”
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“I am going to go for the title, I am going to go just thinking that I will able to win it, that’s my goal to bring a medal to my country, hopefully the gold medal,” he said. “And obviously, the doubles with Rafa is going to be a really dream moment for me. Obviously, we will try to bring home the gold medal again.”
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After a season where he has continued to be plagued by injury, Nadal showed signs of encouragement at Bastad in Sweden last week. But after being beaten in the final by Nuno Borges, he admitted to being concerned about his own physical condition heading into Paris.
“It has been a long week with long matches,” he admitted. “Even if my body, I don’t have damage, that’s important — but mentally and physically, I am not used to playing four days in a row and playing long matches.”
The two Spaniards could yet be on opposite sides of the net in France. Nadal is unseeded for the men’s singles draw and could technically draw Alcaraz in the opening round.
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