Rafael Nadal, the 14-time French Open champion, demonstrated his resilience by making a tremendous comeback in the Olympic men’s tennis doubles with his Spanish partner Carlos Alcaraz. Just a day after suffering a crushing defeat to Novak Djokovic in the singles competition, the 38-year-old Nadal delivered a commanding performance on the court. On Tuesday, the Spanish duo met Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof from the Netherlands at Roland Garros. Nadal and Alcaraz fought hard to win the battle 6-4, 6-7, 10-2, advancing to the prestigious event’s quarterfinals.
The match demonstrated the Spanish dream team’s commitment and expertise as they cleverly navigated the hurdles presented by their opponents. Nadal and Alcaraz, the Spanish duo known as Nadalcraz, wowed the enthusiastic and loud crowd on the hot Court of Suzanne Lenglen. The couple joined forces, demonstrating their outstanding skills as they pursued their goal of winning the gold medal.
The 21-year-old young Alcaraz produced a booming forehand winner to secure the crucial break of serve in the first set, prompting Nadal to roar in support. Koolhof, who had previously topped the doubles rankings, and Griekspoor fought hard in the second set. Both teams missed chances to break towards the end of a tight second set and the Dutch dominated the resulting tie-break to level the contest. They showcased their prowess by winning the tiebreak with a final score of 7-2.
However, Nadalcaraz discovered their rhythm in the important third set. The team launched a flurry of spectacular shots, each punctuated with dramatic fist pumps and passionate roars. Their explosive performance carried them to a resounding victory.
The Spanish duo will meet fourth-seeded US players Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram to secure a spot in the semi-finals. The 38-year-old Nadal is playing only his eighth tournament of 2024, a season in which his ranking has dropped to 161. The 22-time Grand Slam winner is looking for his third Olympic medal after winning the singles in 2008 and the doubles in 2016.
