Rafael Nadal is looking to add to his two Olympic medals in Paris after his opening round doubles win with partner Carlos Alcaraz.
It was a dream start for the Spanish team of Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal with the pair coming through a difficult opener.
The duo won their first match against the Argentine pair of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, showcasing strong teamwork despite their lack of previous experience playing together in doubles.
The match proved the mesmerizing display of skill, brilliance, and energy that all tennis fans had hoped for, despite Alcaraz having earlier in the day already played and won his singles match.
It was a promising start for the new pairing, who now having defeated the sixth seeds, face a Dutch duo in an exciting next round match up.
However, Nadal is still yet to play his opening singles match, with a victory setting up a tie against Novak Djokovic.
What did Rafael Nadal complain about after his doubles victory?
The veteran has endured a difficult and injury hampered year on court, with the Spaniard having slipped the grass court season all together to focus on the Olympics.
Speaking to Carrusel Deportivo, he complained about the minimal amount of rest time he had between the conclusion of his doubles match on Saturday evening, and the start of his singles campaign against Márton Fucsovics on Sunday afternoon.
He said: “At 2:00 p.m. I’m playing? I don’t understand, it’s 10:00 p.m. at night now. It seems outrageous to me.
I will have to talk to the team to see what is the best option to achieve results”
With Nadal’s injury concerns at the Olympics so far, partnered up with his near two-hour long doubles match, the turnaround may be a push for the Spaniard.
What is Rafael Nadal’s injury record like in 2024?
The 22-time grand slam champion has faced a challenging year injury-wise, as he continued to struggle with the chronic foot problem that had frustrated him in recent seasons.
Having also dealt with recurring issues in his left knee, the Spaniard was forced to limit his participation in several key tournaments, including a last-minute withdrawal from January’s Australian Open.
Despite these setbacks, Nadal made a determined comeback attempt, but his performance was hampered by the need for ongoing rehabilitation and recovery periods.
While Nadal reached the final at the Swedish Open last week, his injuries have significantly impacted his ability to compete consistently at the highest level throughout the year.
The intensity of the Olympic schedule may well end up putting too much strain on his body.
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