Spain's Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, pictured competing during their 2022 ATP Tour Madrid Open, were on Wednesday eliminated from the men’s doubles at the Paris Olympics FILE - Spain's Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, pictured competing during their 2022 ATP Tour Madrid Open, were on Wednesday eliminated from the men’s doubles at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Oscar de Pozo/AFP
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz were dumped out of the Olympics men's doubles on Wednesday by Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in possibly Nadal's last appearance at Roland Garros.
The Spanish dream team lost 6-2, 6-4 to the US fourth seeds, who progressed to the semi-finals in Paris.
What a pleasure it was 🤩#Tennis pic.twitter.com/IxY8qu8hh2
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) July 31, 2024
Nadal and Alcaraz, dubbed "Nadalcaraz", have been one of the main talking points at the Paris Games tennis tournament, wowing the crowds in their first two matches.
But they came unstuck in the last eight against doubles specialists Krajicek and Ram, who both have Grand Slam-winning pedigree.
Nadal was broken in the first game of the match on Court Philippe Chatrier and Alcaraz also lost serve as the US pair took the first set.
The Spaniards suffered another costly break in the seventh game of the second set, which ultimately proved decisive.
They battled tigerishly in the 10th game but failed to take advantage of three break points and Krajicek and Ram sealed victory on their second match point.
Olympics: GRACIAS RAFA ❤️
— Paris 2024 Olympics (English) (@OlympicsParis) July 31, 2024
A Parisian love story that will live forever.#Olympics #MoreThanSport #Paris2024 @RafaelNadal | @ITFTennis | @COE_es | @Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/qpwIPuBnys
Nadal, a 14-time French Open champion, said after his painful defeat to Novak Djokovic in the singles competition in Paris that he would make a decision on his future after the Olympics.
The 38-year-old, immortalised in a statue at Roland Garros, has been plagued by injuries in recent years and is now 161st in the world.
Alcaraz still has a chance of winning a medal in the men's singles competition — he is through to the quarter-finals, where he will face US ninth seed Tommy Paul.
AFP