Rafael Nadal & Carlos Alcaraz put together for doubles debut at Paris Olympics | ATP Tour

Paris Olympics

Nadal & Alcaraz put together for doubles debut at Paris Olympics

Spaniards educated collectively Wednesday at Roland Garros

July 25, 2024

The scene is genuinely unimaginable, however the adjective absolutely fails to do it justice. Late Wednesday morning, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz stepped out onto Court docket Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros to share a high-octane apply session.

Below the orders of David Ferrer, captain of the Spanish workforce on the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games, the 2 gamers continued to fine-tune their video games whereas 50 or so inquisitive pairs of eyes took in an occasion that was as uncommon (they’d solely beforehand practised collectively as soon as, at Indian Wells in 2022) because it was superior.

Throughout their first session, 14-time Roland Garros titlist Nadal and reigning Paris champ Alcaraz have been targeted on their singles campaigns. Within the afternoon, after lunch, they returned to the courtroom to place their minds to a problem that has captured the creativeness of your entire sports activities world: In Paris, Nadal and Alcaraz will play for Spain in doubles, competing collectively for the primary time. Their high-profile partnership has stolen a lot of the limelight within the days main as much as the competitors.

“The Olympic Video games is the largest occasion,” mentioned Nadal. “We’ll be making an effort to make sure we will go away with the peace of thoughts that we’ve tried to go so far as doable. We haven’t been capable of put together like different pairs, however we’ve confidence in Carlos’ type. I hope that final week, after I spent a number of time on courtroom, helps me bodily to lift the extent in order that this works.”

“I’m so excited as I arrive on the Video games,” Alcaraz exclaimed. “I’m much less skilled, however I hope to adapt shortly to doubles. For me it’s a dream to play with Rafa. The street is troublesome however thrilling. I’m going to get pleasure from it as a lot as doable. We hope to play many matches collectively. It’ll be one thing I always remember.”

Cómo debería llamarse esta pareja de dobles? 👀 @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/YqWI7LVfg6

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) July 23, 2024

Preparations couldn’t have been extra completely different for the 2 gamers. Whereas Alcaraz left London the Monday after profitable Wimbledon and took a few days off earlier than returning to apply on the clay courts in his native Murcia, Nadal competed in Bastad — his first occasion since Roland Garros — reaching the ultimate earlier than heading again to Paris.

The 2 stars will be part of forces in doubles competitors for the primary time Saturday as they embark on a marketing campaign to earn an Olympic medal for Spain.

“We haven’t crossed paths a lot just lately, however it’s a chance to spend a while collectively and be taught from these new generations,” Nadal mentioned. “Being with him is rejuvenating and it reminds you of once you have been 20. It’s wonderful to see him expertise his first Olympic Video games realizing that he is likely one of the star sights, one thing he copes with amazingly nicely.

“He reveals what knowledgeable he’s in the best way he’s with teammates, and that’s the legacy you permit in sport and for these teammates. He all the time has a smile and he’s comfortable to speak to anybody. It’s nice to have function fashions like him,” added Nadal.

“I’ve every little thing to be taught from Nadal,” countered Alcaraz. “The way in which he competes, his grit on courtroom, by no means giving up on a single level… His potential to show issues on their head is admirable and I all the time attempt to observe his instance on and off the courtroom. His humility, with every little thing he has achieved, is actually commendable.”

These mutual phrases of reward continued all through Wednesday, amidst the jokes and light-hearted banter that have been very a lot the flavour of the day: “You’re not allowed to wrong-foot him!” Carlos Moya instructed Alcaraz after the 21-year-old gained a degree by doing simply that.

We’ll see their sport faces on Saturday, however don’t be shocked to see a couple of extra smiles, too.

This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es.