Rafael Nadal eager to retire alongside Carlos Alcaraz as doubles partner at the 2024 Paris Olympics as the young gun continues to rise
Rafael Nadal poses his interest to end his career at the Paris Olympics 2024 alongside countrymen Carlos Alcaraz in a doubles matchup.
Follow Us
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal. (credits: Yahoo Sport Australia, Rafael Nadal Fans)
With age catching up with one of the greatest tennis stars in the world, Rafael Nadal‘s playing career is near the end. With his fanbase still rooting for the Spaniard to get back to his hundred percent in terms of fitness and don the court yet again one last time, another new rising star from Spain, Carlos Alcaraz has paved his way to the top in great fashion in the last few months.
In an interview with AS, Rafael Nadal was asked about his last tournament and if he would like to bid the sport farewell anytime soon. Nadal answered the question providing a very unusual plan of hanging up his racquets. He stated that he would love to play alongside Alcaraz at the 2024 Olympics which is set to be hosted by Paris next year.
Nadal added that ending his career at the stadium, the Stade Roland Garros where he has achieved so much alongside a young star like Alcaraz would hand him a lot of motivation. He said, “To play doubles with him at the 2024 Olympics? I would like to do so and it would be a good motivation, another incentive, for me to be able to close my Olympic career playing with Carlos, with everything he is achieving, with the young people, and with the great future he has ahead of him.”
How similar is Carlos Alcaraz to Rafael Nadal considering the start of their tennis careers?
Aged 20 at the moment, Alcaraz has followed the same path that Nadal had taken during his starting days. Carlos won his first title at the age of 18 at the Croatian Open beating veteran Richard Gasquet and guess what, Nadal coincidentally won his first title at the same age at the Prokom Open. Nadal got hands on his first Slam at the 2005 French Open at the age of 20 beating Mariano Puerta in the final.
Alcaraz achieved the feat of laying his hands on a Grand Slam title a year younger at the age of 19 at the 2022 US Open beating Casper Ruud in the final. But Nadal is still today regarded as the most successful teenager in the sport having notched up 17 titles during his starting days compared to just 11 titles of Alcaraz who also reached the ATP World No. 1 becoming the youngest male tennis player to do so. It won’t be wrong to say that Alcaraz has walked on the same path of glory that Nadal followed during his rookie years.
In case you missed it:
- Coco Gauff left ecstatic after a personal meeting with the Obamas following her dramatic opening-round win at the 2023 US Open
- Roger Federer ‘changed’ the game says Iga Swiatek showering praise on the joint-most US Open title winner
Stay Updated!
Soumyadeep Mondal
(882 Articles Published)