The Spanish Tennis Federation or RFET made an exciting news on Wednesday, June 12, the tennis icons Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will pair up to represent Spain in the tennis tournament at the 2024 Olympic Doubles Game in Paris, France.
This announcement comes hot on the heels of Alcaraz’s recent triumph at the French Open, where he secured his first title at Roland Garros and his third Grand Slam victory. The decision to have Nadal and Alcaraz team up is strategic, considering their impressive records on clay courts—Alcaraz just clinched his French Open title on similar terrain, and Nadal boasts an unparalleled 14 Roland Garros titles.
"Rafa and Carlos will be playing together in Paris," announced Spain's team captain, David Ferrer.
Carlos Alcaraz, set to make his Olympic debut, has expressed a strong desire to win an Olympic gold medal for Spain, even prioritizing it over defending his Wimbledon title. "The Olympic Games are every four years and it's a special tournament where you're playing not just for yourself but for your country, representing every Spaniard. This year, I would choose the Olympic gold," Alcaraz shared in a press conference after his French Open victory.
Rafael Nadal, a seasoned Olympian, will also compete in the singles event. He already has two Olympic gold medals under his belt. One from the 2008 Beijing Games in singles and another from the 2016 Rio Games in doubles with Marc Lopez. But his current fitness levels are a concern, as he only returned to the court last April after a 16-month hiatus due to injuries. Ranked No. 264 in the world, Nadal’s health will be closely watched as the Games approach.
The Spanish men’s Olympic tennis team will also feature Pablo Carreno Busta, Alejandro Davidovich, and Marcel Granollers.
The tennis competition at the 2024 Olympics is set to take place from July 27 to August 4. National federations have until June 19 to finalize their player lists for this prestigious event.
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