Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz cautious on Olympics medal win

PARIS – Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz know they will not win anything on reputation alone playing together at the Paris Olympics, but vowed on July 24 to do everything in their power to overcome a lack of preparation.

Nadal, the 2008 singles gold medallist, will pair up with Alcaraz in a tennis dream team at Roland Garros, looking to also add to the doubles title he won with close friend Marc Lopez at Rio 2016.

But the 22-time Grand Slam champion was keen to play down expectations ahead of his final Olympics, with the Spanish duo teaming up for the first time.

“I understand the fascination, the hope of seeing us play together, (but) let’s not think that this translates into success. That’s a mistake,” said Nadal, 38, who has struggled with injuries for two years.

“At the end of the day, Carlos hasn’t played much doubles and I haven’t played much in either doubles or singles.”

The former world No. 1, who expects to retire at the end of this season after missing almost all of 2023 with a hip problem, conceded that adapting their game in a different competition would be difficult.

“Things happen much faster, the reflexes have to be ready and the movements are not automatic when one has not played for a long time. There are doubles movements that are completely different from the individual ones,” he said.

Both Nadal and Alcaraz will also compete in the singles at Roland Garros, where Nadal has won the French Open a record 14 times. Alcaraz captured the title in Paris for the first time in June.

“We trust in the great moment that Carlos is in,” added Nadal of his partner, who also retained his Wimbledon title earlier in July, landing his fourth Grand Slam at the age of 21. “We’re going to try and at least leave with the peace of mind of having done everything possible.”

World No. 3 Alcaraz, meanwhile, said it was a “dream” to be able to make his Olympic debut in doubles alongside Nadal but also insisted their star power was no guarantee of a medal.

“I’ve not had the opportunity to play many doubles tournaments, but returning to Roland Garros, to these courts that I’ve always enjoyed playing... makes it easier,” said Alcaraz, who beat Novak Djokovic again in the Wimbledon final.

Second-ranked Djokovic, who won singles bronze in 2008, will also be in Paris as the Olympic tennis tournament is held on clay for the first time since Barcelona in 1992.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has pulled out due to tonsillitis, denting Italy’s hopes of winning a first tennis Games medal since 1924. Denmark’s 16th-ranked Holger Rune’s wrist injury has also ruled him out.

Britain’s two-time gold medallist Andy Murray, 37, was another late withdrawal in the singles. Still not fully recovered from back surgery in June, he will focus on the doubles event and retire at the end of his fifth Games. REUTERS, AFP