PARIS – The clash that every sports fan would like to see is just a step away: Rafael Nadal versus Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros? But not at the Grand Slam tournament, but representing Spain and Serbia respectively at the Olympic Games? It is highly possible and the expectation is brutal.
The Paris 2024 tennis draw put the Serb against Australian Matt Ebden, one of the best doubles players in the world who has not played singles for a while. Nadal will face a dangerous first round against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.
Everything was defined in a very strange ceremony that had five Olympic medalists in the front row, almost all of them in their last Olympic Games: Nadal, Andy Murray, Angelique Kerber (who announced her retirement in Paris), Elina Svitolina and Stan Wawrinka.
Strange and very different from what is seen on the tour: projected on the screens of the Club des Loges lounge at Roland Garros, the 16 crossings of the doubles draws appeared all at once; the mixed doubles was delayed and finally did not take place there, and the singles were revealed in four parts.
The possible 60th chapter of the most nurtured rivalry in the men’s circuit was what generated the most murmurs in the room when it came into view.
Well, Nadal shows some emotion now watching a second round future against Djokovic. https://t.co/gbESH49TWd pic.twitter.com/0IkPcci0iH
— Clay (@_claymagazine) July 25, 2024
The ritual started late due to Andy Murray’s last-minute withdrawal from singles, confirming that his singles career ended after he got injured in Queen’s, despite attempting to play at Wimbledon and Paris 2024.
He will retire playing alongside Daniel Evans in doubles: “I tried to make it, but age has already prevented me from recovering quickly and well. I am committed to doubles to finish my career in the best way”.
A complicated qualification system
When registered players withdraw near the start of the tournament, they can no longer be replaced by names on the alternate list, and doubles players must be called upon.
In the last hours Sinner, Holger Rune and Hubert Hurkacz abandoned the Olympic mission.
The case of the Pole is the one that generated more movements, and thus three medal options for Poland went to the trash can.
Not only did they lose in singles; Hurkacz also left his doubles partner Jan Zielinski alone and there is no replacement for him. Iga Swiatek will not be able to compete in the mixed doubles with Zielinski either, because the rule says that in mixed doubles only those who are also in doubles or singles can play.
In the second round of Wimbledon, the world number 7 tried to block a volley with the style popularized by Boris Becker in the 80’s: using extreme resources and throwing himself to the floor. He injured his knee.
Imitating the German legend cost Hurkacz too much. For him, and for the Polish Olympic delegation.