Krajicek/Ram put an end to Nadalcaraz’s hopes and advance to semis | ATP Tour

Paris Olympics

Krajicek/Ram put an end to Nadalcaraz’s hopes and advance to the semis

The American duo gave the Spaniards no chance and advanced to the semis

July 31, 2024

The illusion of ‘Nadalcaraz’, the duo that revolutionized the Paris Olympic Games, ended on a day without equivalences, with the Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram being superior from start to finish against Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal in a 6-2 and 6-4 victory on Wednesday.

Fourth-seeded Krajicek and Ram controlled rallies and became more lively at the net and with plays, while Alcaraz and Nadal made uncharacteristic errors in the early going. The Americans remained the more consistent team as the match progressed, breaking Alcaraz’s serve at 3-3 in the second set.

Krajicek closed out the match at 5-4, starting that game with a nervous double fault. With a dedicated crowd rooting for favourites Alcaraz and Nadal, the American duo kept their cool and staved off three break points to avoid any late drama.

Krajicek and Ram will continue their quest for a medal in the semi-finals, when they will face Czechs Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek.

Alcaraz, who is making his Olympic debut this fortnight, advanced to the singles quarterfinals by beating Roman Safiullin in straight sets and remains in contention for the singles title, while Nadal fell in the second round to his eternal rival Novak Djokovic.