PARIS: 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.

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.

Nadal’s participation was up in the air with the 14-times 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.”

The Olympics run from July 26-Aug 11.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2024