Carlos Alcaraz has proposal for Rafael Nadal ahead of tennis legend’s final season
Carlos Alcaraz says it would be “a dream” to play doubles with Rafael Nadal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, announced last week his plans to retire from pro tennis in 2024. In 2024, Nadal will prioritize being healthy and ready for the French Open and Paris Olympics.
Alcaraz, who grew up idolizing and looking up to Nadal, absolutely wants to be a part of the 36-year-old’s farewell in 2024. “It could be a dream playing doubles with him in the Olympics. So of course let’s see. Let’s see how he’s doing and how he’s going in this year.
Hopefully, he’s going great,” Alcaraz said, per James Gray.
Carlos Alcaraz talking up playing doubles with Rafael Nadal at the Olympics next year…
"It could be a dream playing doubles with him in the Olympics. So of course let's see. Let's see how he's doing and how he's going in this year. Hopefully he's going great."#RolandGarros
— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) May 26, 2023
Alcaraz would like to team up with Nadal at the Paris Olympics
In what will be his final season on the Tour, Nadal hopes to be able to participate in his favorite and most special tournaments.
“My idea and my motivation is to try to enjoy the Tour and say goodbye to all the tournaments that I enjoyed playing. The Olympic Games are one of them, but I can’t say yet that it will be my last tournament or not,” Nadal said last week.
Nadal, who hasn’t played since the Australian Open, has been struggling a lot with injuries over the last couple of years. Nadal wants his retirement to come on the court but he is also aware that continuing to play while constantly struggling with injuries isn’t the solution.
“What maintains things alive first is (having), enough force to say that I didn’t deserve to finish like that. I had enough force and satisfaction during my career to make things happen by myself, always trying to reach high goals.
Sometimes I could make it, sometimes not. To be back, competing at the highest professional level would be a satisfaction to finish the way I intend to. I’m aware that it’s not (like this at) the moment.
But I’m also aware on the fact that it’s worth a last effort, it’s my philosophy, I keep it and I will fight for it. If the body responds, I will do things worth a lot of efforts,” Nadal said.
