Tennis fans are in for a treat at the upcoming Paris Olympics. 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will be teaming up with the red-hot Carlos Alcaraz, fresh off his French Open victory, for the men's doubles competition. This exciting news was confirmed by the Spanish team captain, David Ferrer, on Wednesday, June 12.
This announcement comes just three days after the 21-year-old Alcaraz secured his first French Open title, marking his third Grand Slam victory overall. The duo is poised to be a dominant force in the men's doubles competition, boasting a combined 15 Roland Garros titles between them. With the Olympic tennis tournament taking place on the very same Parisian clay courts where they've both achieved remarkable success, Nadal and Alcaraz will be a formidable team to contend with.
With the Paris Olympics looming, tennis legend Rafael Nadal has been vocal about his desire to represent Spain. This year is expected to be Nadal's final season as a professional on the ATP tour, making the Olympic appearance even more significant. His commitment to playing in Paris was further emphasized after a disappointing first-round exit at the French Open in May. Nadal clearly has his sights set on making a grand farewell on the biggest sporting stage.
"My body has been a jungle for two years. You don't know what to expect. I wake up one day and I find a snake biting me. Another day a tiger. I have been fighting with all the things that I went through. But the dynamic is positive the last few weeks. I felt ready. I think tomorrow I'll be ready to play again if I have to. But I will not have to," Nadal said after his first-round exit at French Open.
"So that's the thing. Now, I need to prepare myself, I need to clear my ideas and see what's the new calendar to try to be ready for Olympics. I can't say anything today, but my main goal now is to play the Olympics," Nadal further added.
The excitement surrounding the Spanish Olympic tennis team goes beyond just the powerful doubles pairing. Carlos Alcaraz, viewed as Nadal's successor in Spanish tennis, will be joining the team. Alcaraz has openly admired Nadal since childhood, making this a dream come true for the young star.
The Spanish team will also feature Pablo Carreno Busta, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and Marcel Granollers. This group boasts a wealth of experience, with Nadal himself having secured Olympic gold in both singles (2008) and doubles (2016). With such a strong lineup, Spain is a team to watch in the Olympic tennis competition.
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