Spanish tennis’s ‘old and new emperors’ Rafael Nadal (38) and Carlos Alcaras (21) have teamed up to advance to the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Alcaras, who is working with his idol Nadal, said, “This is a dream come true. I can’t believe it.” On the
31st (Korean time), Nadal-Alcaras defeated Talon Grigspor-Wesley Kohlhof (Netherlands) 2-1 (6-4 6-7<2-7> 10-2) in the men’s doubles round of 16 at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. Having
advanced to the quarterfinals, Nadal-Alcaras will now compete against Austin Kryzeck-Rajiv Ram (USA) for a spot in the semifinals.
The news that Nadal and Alcaras would be teaming up for the men’s doubles ahead of the Olympics drew a lot of attention.
Nadal is a legend who has won 22 major tournaments alone, and is a legendary player who dominated an era along with Novak Djokovic (Serbia) and Roger Federer (Switzerland, retired). Nadal, who is called the ‘Clay God’, holds the record for the most wins, winning the French Open at Roland Garros a whopping 14 times.
Alcaras, who has often referred to Nadal as his ‘idol’, is the new face of Spanish tennis. Although he is only 21 years old, he has won four major tournaments, including the French Open this year.
The two are playing an unfamiliar doubles pair ahead of this tournament, which could effectively be Nadal’s last Olympics, but they are showing off fantastic teamwork on the court. They defeated the Argentine players 2-0 in the round of 32 and won a close match in the round of 16, raising expectations for a gold medal. Nadal, who is currently performing ‘Last Dance’, said, “It was hard, but I’m having a good time with Alcaras and sharing good energy,” and “We have a positive relationship off the court. It helps me a lot.” Nadal said, “It’s a really special moment for me,” and added, “We won’t be doing the Olympics together anymore. That’s why I’m trying to enjoy it as much as possible. We’re both not used to playing doubles, but we’re both full of energy, so it’s okay.” Alcaras, who is playing with his idol, is also thrilled to be on the doubles dream team, called ‘Nacaras (Nadal + Alcaras)’ by fans. Alcaras said, “My dream has come true. Playing with Nadal and learning from him is unbelievable. I want to enjoy my time with him for a long time.” 토토사이트