Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will play doubles together
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will play doubles together at the Paris Olympics. The Spanish legend will play his last Olympics and hopes to get a good result on red clay of the French Open, although the draw was not particularly favorable.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion could face his eternal rival Novak Djokovic in the second round, a match that would attract the attention of all fans present in Paris. Rafa and Nole have not been fighting for a long time because of the injuries of the Spaniard, who reached the final at Bastad last week without expressing his best tennis.
Alcaraz – on the other hand – is the big favourite to win the gold medal in Paris after the shocking failure of Jannik Sinner. The Italian decided to skip the event due to a tonsillitis, allowing Carlitos to become the number 1 seeding.
Rafa and Carlitos are motivated
The 21-year-old from Murcia won the French Open and Wimbledon this year, becoming the youngest player ever to achieve this match in the same year. Alcaraz and Nadal have already trained together in Paris with the aim of finding the right feeling for the double, where they will face the fearsome Gonzalez/Molteni at the debut. The two Spaniards will make their debut in the doubles tournament on Saturday 27th or Sunday 28th July.
“The Olympic Games is the biggest event,” said Rafa Nadal before the start of the event. “We’ll be making an effort to ensure we can leave with the peace of mind that we have tried to go as far as possible. We haven’t been able to prepare like other pairs, but we have confidence in Carlos’ form. I hope that last week, when I spent a lot of time on court, helps me physically to raise the level so that this works.
We haven’t crossed paths much recently, but it’s an opportunity to spend some time together and learn from these new generations,” Nadal added. “Being with him is rejuvenating and it reminds you of when you were 20. It’s amazing to see him experience his first Olympic Games knowing that he is one of the star attractions, something he copes with amazingly well.”
Alcaraz hopes to win a medal together with his compatriot: “I’m so excited as I arrive at the Games. I’m less experienced, but I hope to adapt quickly to doubles. For me it’s a dream to play with Rafa. The road is difficult but exciting. I’m going to enjoy it as much as possible. We hope to play many matches together. It’ll be something I never forget.”
Meanwhile, the captain of the Spanish delegation and former ATP ace David Ferrer spoke about Nadal and Alcaraz: “Rafa and Carlos have been very exciting, but we already knew that and it makes sense. It’s even hard for us to go out to dinner.”
Despite having already achieved many successes, Carlitos is aware that he can still improve. The former world number 1 wants to become continuous all year round and reduce empty passes. After winning the Wimbledon Championships last year, the Spaniard had a period of crisis as he failed to win a title for eight months.
Speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, tennis legend Stan Smith opened up on Alcaraz: “As for Carlos, he is sometimes subject to moments that I would call distraction. Carlos stands out for his speed, physical strength and variety of shots. Sinner also has a solid skill set, having already won a Grand Slam and is ranked No 1 in the world. They represent both the present and the future of tennis and will establish a lasting rivalry. I am interested in seeing how their game evolves over the years, knowing that they still have room to improve.”
Rafa had been forced to skip the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to an injury. “It’s a great opportunity to be at the Games, the largest sporting event in the world. I appreciate being here. This will be my last. I’ve missed two (London 2012 and Tokyo 2020) and it hurt me more than missing a Grand Slam,” Nadal explained.
Spain hopes to achieve great results in this edition of the Olympics. The red clay of the French Open has always been a favorite of Spanish players, who made history on these courts. The Olympic tournament will start on Saturday, July 27th and end on Sunday, August 4th.