PARIS – Carlos Alcaraz radiates happiness, and it’s not because he’s the reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion. It’s because he has his idol by his side in a very special way. Rafael Nadal is his doubles partner, his inspiration, and perhaps, after the Olympic Games, he will be able to count him as a friend.
A relationship that is starting to strengthen around Olympism, where together they are probably the most special story of Paris 2024.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic champion feeds off the youthful energy of the number two on the planet and in what will be his fourth Games, he speaks honestly about how important the events have been for his life.
“Unfortunately I missed two Olympic Games through injury at a very good moment of my career. London and Tokyo. It’s something that hurt me more than missing Grand Slams,” he confesses in front of the accredited press at the Olympic Village in Paris.
He also says that the gold he won in China was more important than several big tournaments in the tennis circuit.
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The Games “take away” the luxuries that elite tennis players have on the tour, where in most places they are overly pampered. In Paris there are no longer several of the privileges they are used to.
In what will be his last Olympic event, Nadal sees that as an advantage.
“It rejuvenates you to be here, because it’s like going back to the beginning of everything, without the comforts of the tour. Like when we played small tournaments and you went to hostels and completely different rooms. A reminder of where we really come from,” says the winner of 22 Grand Slams.
The Spaniards are the kings of the Olympic Village. If they agree to meet for dinner at nine o’clock, they finally meet at nine forty-five because of all the requests for selfies they find along the way.
What also rejuvenates him, at 38 years old, is to see Alcaraz with the sparkle of someone who lives a new experience. Remembering the illusion of the unknown to see his partner, 17 years younger, whom he calls “the best player in the world right now”.
For Nadal, Alcaraz will be “one of the greats of history” and hopes that, unlike what he suffered, injuries will respect him.
However, the Mallorcan warns those who are excited and asks to lower expectations: “I understand the morbid excitement and the illusion of seeing us play together, but let’s not think that this translates into success. Carlos hasn’t played many doubles, and I haven’t played many doubles or singles”.
They need good luck in Thursday’s draw at Roland Garros. Not like the one Nadal had in singles two months ago at the place where he was champion 14 times. Luck put him in first round with the in-form Alexander Zverev, defeated in the final by Alcaraz.
The 21-year-old tennis player adheres: “We are not going to win a medal with just the name”.
