Spain’s Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will team up to play doubles at this year’s Olympic Games in Paris, the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) said on Wednesday, June 12.
Nadal won an Olympic gold medal in 2008, but the Paris Games will be Alcaraz’s first as he returns to Roland Garros where he was crowned French Open champion on Sunday, June 9.
Nadal’s participation was up in the air with the 14-time French Open champion still not at his best following injuries, but national team coach David Ferrer said the 38-year-old would team up with 21-year-old Alcaraz.
“One pair, which I think everyone knows and was hoping for is Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal and the second pair is yet to be decided, it hasn’t been 100% confirmed yet,” Ferrer told reporters.
“We’ll wait a bit before announcing that. But Rafa and Carlos will be playing together in Paris.”
“We have a great team and we are going to play at Roland Garros, the court that Nadal and Alcaraz know so well. We hope to bring joy to Spanish sport.”
The other players selected are Pablo Carreno Busta and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina while Marcel Granollers, who is ranked world No. 2 in doubles, is also in the squad.
The Paris Olympics runs from July 26-August 11. – Rappler.com