Rafael Nadal He is in Paris full of optimism. The champion of 22 Grand Slam titles He is “excited” about his presence at his fourth Olympic Games, the “last” as he met and that allows him to feel renewed, as well as sharing the court and experiences with Carlos Alcaraz, where he can play doubles.
“Of course, these are the last Games, yes. For me all the Olympic Games have been special. I missed Tokyo 2020 and London 2012 due to injury and that hurt me more than any Grand Slams. because they are unique experiences that have no equal and you experience the Grand Slams every year. With Rio 2016, it seems impossible to be here now. And I’m happy about it,” Nadal acknowledged the performance of the Spanish tennis team at Paris 2024.
“To get here, I went through hard times. I had the ability to continue everything I’ve been through these past two years and I have this award, which is in a different Game, in a setting that is very special to me, it makes you excited to be here. Also, the daily and personal life is a return to the beginning of everything, when you played small tournaments and stayed in hostels or small hotels and here you escape the luxuries that are fortunately experienced our sport,” acknowledged the winner of twenty-two Grand Slams.
“I am very excited, I am prepared and aware of the situation but the excitement does not disappear. I’m especially excited for doubles with the best player in the world for me. If the injuries respect him, he will be one of the best in history. Let’s see if I can have a draw that allows me to have more options, something different from what Roland Garros is,” said Nadal.
Participating in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz drew the attention of the competition. “I will face the Games with the hope of being involved in the main sporting event. The picture of playing together will be seen on Saturday and Sunday and will be called depending on what happens. We will try to remember it in a positive way. “We’re going to do our best to do everything possible to get where we can,” he said.
“We have never prepared together for a tournament like this, with other great couples. I trust in Carlos’ good moment and also that what he has done in the last few weeks will help this work on an individual and collective level.. “I hope to train as much as possible to arrive with more or less clear ideas and then we’ll see,” he added.
Nadal is cautious and cautious in the face of the high expectations that have been generated: “I understand the morbidity and excitement of seeing us play together but that doesn’t make for success. Thinking about it is a mistake. Carlos hasn’t played a lot of doubles and I haven’t played a lot of doubles or a lot of singles. Due to the characteristics, we were able to play well in doubles. But it’s expensive.”
“Playing doubles is a different competition where you have to play differently in every way. Things are happening faster in every sense. Last week I was able to play for two days. The reading changes a lot, although it’s true that the fact that it’s on the ground a little helps,” he highlighted.
“On the hard court,” he added, “it is more complicated. Everything is faster. You have to build from strength. Playing well in singles will help in doubles. We start with positive energy and then the sensations become positive. Hopefully the draw will help as well.”
Nadal recalled the situation in which he arrived at the Olympic Games and highlighted the behavior, normality and naturalness with which Alcaraz, winner of Wimbledon and Roland Garros this year, behaved outside the court.
“In recent times I’ve been on the circuit a bit. I met Carlos and we had a great union from the beginning. I know a little less about women. Being with someone like Carlos rejuvenates you and reminds you of the strength when you’re twenty years old and you discover everything, and everything is special. For me, it’s great to see how Carlos lives his first Games and how it’s one of the main attractions of the sport, as seen in Villa,” he said.
“He is good. You can see how good he is on the court, as well as the way he treats his teammates., which is the legacy you leave and what I see is that you are always with a smile and open to serve everyone. He is an open and welcoming person to everyone. We are very happy with the group we have. We all work together and Carlos contributes everything he needs to contribute,” he stressed.
Nadal improved Olympic consideration. Unparalleled moments in his career, like when he won gold medals.
“For me, Beijing 2008 was bigger than many Grand Slams. It was one of the best moments of my sports career. The Games are not just you, in a way. You represent your country, you feel part of you of the whole Spanish team. You feel the support, the love and the feeling of coming back with a medal at Villa is amazing, unmatched,” he said.
“Rio is the chance to achieve a victory with one of my best friends, Marc López. Moreover, he came to a situation where he almost didn’t get to play them, right and at the last minute. They are always unparalleled experiences and I hope it will be a long stay,” said Nadal.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
