Two former world No 1s, multiple Grand Slam winners and global superstars teaming up together in doubles to try to win Olympic gold is the dream of Spain and tennis fans. A dream that could come true in Paris with the potential presence of Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal.
The two players have repeatedly said that they would like to play doubles at the Paris Olympics this summer. Two exceptional talents, Alcaraz, 21, the youngest world No 1 in men’s tennis history and winner of two Grand Slam titles; and Nadal, 37, a living legend of tennis and 22-time Grand Slam winner; an association that could well create magic.
In Madrid, Nadal had expressed his desire to play a doubles tune-up tournament alongside Alcaraz: “Carlos doesn’t have to ask me anything, if everything goes well, we will play. It’s also very exciting for me. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve heard that this is also the case for him.”
“So it would be great to play a tournament before the Olympics to prepare and to come to grips with the court. We could have the chance to form a great team and aspire to great things.”
But the prospect of preparing on clay before the Paris Olympics is becoming increasingly uncertain. With Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Rome, only Roland-Garros remains to prepare for doubles on clay. But there looks to be almost no chance that the two players will line up in doubles in Paris.
“Looks difficult. I don’t know yet. He got injured in Madrid. I was not with enough good physical conditions to play before. Looks difficult because not remaining lot of tournaments that we can play together before Olympics. Only Roland-Garros remains, and that will not be the case. I don’t know later. Looks difficult, but let’s see,” the Spaniard told the media in Rome on Saturday.
