Carlos Alcaraz is a Rafael Nadal fan and hopes to play the Paris Olympics with him
No matter how far he advances in the tournament, the Mutua Madrid Open is the Rafael Nadal show. The home crowd gives him so much support during matches; the energy is electric. Rafa cannot get done thanking the fans. In his win over Alex de Minaur, he treated them to glimpses of vintage Rafa in his shotmaking and movement.
One of those fans is his Spanish compatriot and the defending Madrid Open champion Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz talked about Nadal in a postmatch interview with Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj, and he sounded as much like a fan as the rest of us.
DON RAFAEL NADAL PARERA. 👑@RafaelNadal #MMOpen pic.twitter.com/zrGr5HXtlC
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 27, 2024
No one including Nadal himself knows what he will achieve in match wins and losses this year, but it does not matter. Seeing him back out on the clay court is a blessing. Alcaraz echoed this sentiment as he said how special it is for Nadal to play in Madrid in 2024.
Alcaraz still hopes to share the court with Nadal at the Olympics
The Netflix Slam in March was fun because fans saw Nadal and Alcaraz on the court playing each other. However, most tennis fans want to see Nadal and Alcaraz play doubles together before Nadal calls it a career.
Alcaraz after beating Nadal at Netflix Slam
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 3, 2024
“You’ve talked so much about admiring Rafa... He’s been your idol and you’ve said you like to learn from him. What have you learned the most from Rafa throughout your career?”
Carlos: “I think the fighting spirit. He never gives up on… pic.twitter.com/MoSZKvrE9W
The Paris Olympics at Roland Garros are coming up. Alcaraz remains open to playing doubles with Nadal. It sounds like the perfect plan, but in reality, it could be more difficult to pull off because Nadal has barely played since the end of 2022. Would he qualify for the Spanish team?
The good news is that the Olympics are the best of three-set matchups in all disciplines. The best of five-set format in men's singles could be a show-stopper for Nadal at the French Open. The Olympics could be how fans see Nadal at Roland Garros if he cannot play the French Open.
Nadal committed to the Laver Cup in September. Laver Cup is a team event so he will be put into Team Europe's lineup in the way that makes the most sense based on his physical health. Carlos Alcaraz is playing Laver Cup this year so if all else fails that may be our chance to see Nadal and Alcaraz play doubles in 2024.
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