Madrid: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will play doubles together for Spain at the Paris Olympics, the Spanish tennis federation said Wednesday.
The announcement comes three days after the 21-year-old Alcaraz won the French Open for the first time and his third Grand Slam trophy.
The 38-year-old Nadal already owns Olympic gold medals in singles (2008) and doubles (2016 with Marc Lpez), alongside his 22 Grand Slam titles.
Rafael and Carlos will be playing together in Paris, said Spain captain David Ferrer while announcing the squad. The other Spain players in the men's Olympic team will be Pablo Carreo Busta, Alejandro Davidovich and Marcel Granollers.
Nadal's participation was uncertain earlier this year due to a series of injuries, but his tenacity saw him return to the clay courts in April, determined to give one last memorable performance.
David Ferrer, Spain's national team coach and a former top player himself, couldn't contain his excitement as he confirmed the dream pairing. "One pair, which I think everyone knows and was hoping for, is Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal," Ferrer announced.
"Rafa and Carlos will be playing together in Paris."Nadal won his first and only Olympic gold medal in singles at the Beijing Games in 2008, a crowning achievement in his illustrious career.
Now, with the Paris Games potentially marking his swan song, the opportunity to mentor and compete alongside Alcaraz adds a layer of significance to his participation.
