Rafael Nadal winks at Carlos Alcaraz as an Olympic partner | ATP Tour

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Nadal winks at Alcaraz as an Olympic couple in Paris 2024

April 26, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal greet each other at the Mutua Madrid Open.
By ATPTour.com/es Staff

Who wouldn’t like to see Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz form a couple at the Olympic Games? Probably, the response of the majority of fans in the tennis world is unanimous: everyone would be delighted. Much more so, the Spanish. And the good news is that they seem ready to make this dream come true.

The champion of 22 majors participated this Friday in IGUALES, the official podcast of the Mutua Madrid Open that is produced this week from the bowels of the Caja Mágica. In a relaxed format, where the players talk in a relaxed manner and away from the atmosphere of a traditional interview, the Spaniard revealed what could be one of the news of the season. Partnering with Alcaraz at Paris 2024, an event that will take place on the clay of Roland Garros, is a possible option in his thoughts.

Hours ago, and showing absolute prudence, Alcaraz had claimed to be afraid to ask Nadal about the possibility of attending the Olympic event together, a tournament that he has not yet seen in his sporting career. The Mallorcan returned the glove with complete normality, putting aside any fears that a 20-year-old boy might feel about standing next to a legend.

“[Carlos] You don’t have to ask me anything, if there is nothing strange we will play,” revealed the Mallorcan, publicly showing his willingness to join forces with the Murcian. “For me it is also a great illusion and, if I am not mistaken, I have been told that it is for him too. It would be nice to be able to play a tournament before the Olympics to prepare ourselves and to understand each other on a court.”

The automatisms together with a partner on the track will have to reach the Alcaraz game, with a short route in the specialty in pairs. Throughout his professional career, the Murcian has only played nine doubles matches, a modality that he has not practiced in the last two seasons. If his dazzling rise to the top of men’s tennis was achieved with little experience on the big stages, his adaptation to pairs tennis will be a new challenge of immediacy for the prodigy from El Palmar.

“I think that if we both arrive in conditions, why can’t we have the opportunity to make a good couple and aspire to beautiful things,” Nadal stressed, with renewed enthusiasm for reaching the Olympic event. “I think it would be something good for both of us and for the Spanish team. We will see how things evolve, I hope I am up to the task of being a good partner for Carlos. He sure will be for me. We’ll see where we can go and I hope we can work together a little before that.”

Nadal is one of the most experienced figures on the circuit in the Olympic Games. The Mallorcan is the only active player who has managed to win the gold medal in singles and doubles, completing a truly legendary track record in an event that is held every four years.

The Spaniard won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing event, on the eve of his first promotion to world No. 1. Later, in Rio de Janeiro 2016, Rafa rounded off his feat by climbing to the first step of the podium as a couple with his good friend Marc López. A conquest that he could try to repeat in a few months on the clay of Paris 2024, a scenario that he knows like no one else.