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Rafael Nadal and Paula Badosa's Olympic plans are revealed

The Spanish tennis team is filled with superstars, but will Nadal and Badosa be among them?

By Wendi Oliveros

DAVID GRAY/GettyImages
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This is a challenging time in the 2024 tennis season. It is an Olympic year that requires some focus that is normally reserved for Wimbledon. The additional challenge is that the tennis calendar has officially turned the page from the clay court season to grass court season, but players aspiring to play the Paris Olympics will need to circle back to clay for additional training before the end of next month.

We will begin to hear a lot about top players Olympic plans because based on the challenges associated with this year's Olympics, circling back to the clay in late July and early August will also limit player's ability to train for the hardcourt season and the US Open.

For months, we have wondered what Rafael Nadal will be able to do; he has been cautious about taking his return one tournament at a time because of his extensive injuries, but it appears he will use his protective ranking for the Olympics; whereas, his fellow Spaniard who has also been plagued with injuries over the past two years, Paula Badosa, will not.

Rafael Nadal is in; Paula Badosa is out

Nadal will use his protective ranking to participate on the Spanish Olympic team. The reported plan is for him to compete in singles and doubles. Fans hoping for a doubles match with Nadal and Alcaraz on the same side of the net are a step closer to getting their wish.

The Olympics are a best-of-three set event so it is a lighter workload for Nadal giving him the opportunity to play more than one event. As he nears the end of his playing career, a poetic ending would be for him to win one or more gold medals on Roland Garros, home of his 14 French Open wins and his statue on the grounds, for Spain.

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Paula Badosa, on the other hand, is not planning to use her protective ranking for the Paris Olympics. She will be focused on preparing for Wimbledon and the US Open. It is an understandable decision, but fans wanting to see a potential mixed doubles matchup of Nadal and Badosa are disappointed.

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