Rafa Nadal has exciting Paris Olympics plan as he plans chat with Carlos Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal set for 2024 farewell after pulling out of French Open

Rafa Nadal has teased the possibility of teaming up with fellow Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz at next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, as he continues his rehabilitation from an injury that has kept the 22-time Grand Slam champion out of action since the Australian Open at the beginning of 2023.

Nadal previously won men’s singles Gold at the 2008 Games having defeated Novak Djokovic and then Fernando Gonzalez in the Beijing final, while also winning Gold in the men’s doubles eight years later in Rio alongside Marc Lopez – as he is planning another outing, potentially alongside tennis’ new superstar Alcaraz, with the pair set to chat about competing together.

“For the Games, on a personal level, I would like to play them one more time,” Nadal told AS. “Everyone knows that I have always been a lover of the Games. I have lived incredible moments of co-existence, of seeing what sport is in its pure essence.

“Regarding the fact of playing doubles with Carlos, I have not had the slightest conversation with him in that regard. But I would also like [it] and it would be a good motivation, another incentive for me to be able to close my Olympic cycle playing with Carlos, with everything he is achieving, with the young people and with the great future he has ahead of him.”

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Nadal has not played professionally since January due to a host of injury problems that forced him to undergo surgery in March. He recently opened up on his fitness woes which have taken a toll on his daily life, as he plans to retire from professional tennis next year.

Despite failing to congratulate Djokovic yet for his US Open win, having overtaken Nadal this year for most men’s Grand Slam titles in the Open era, he has kept in contact with Alcaraz – sending him a message after the 20-year-old won Wimbledon this summer as he is clearly a big fan of his fellow Spanish star.

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Alcaraz was unable to defend his US Open title after a semi-final defeat to Daniil Medvedev, in a tournament that also saw him lose his spot at the top of the world rankings, but Nadal believes that his potential doubles partner at the Paris Olympics is ahead of his competitors.

“He has been the world No. 1 until recently. Although he’s very young right now, practically the only rival I see for him is Djokovic,” Nadal added.

“He is one step above the others. My feeling from outside the tour is that when he plays, the games normally depend on him 90 per cent of the time. It is fantastic news for sport and for tennis to have someone like him, who is doing what he is doing, and on top of that, with so much time ahead of him.”

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