Rafael Nadal is missing Wimbledon in order to get ready for the Olympic Games, where he will create a dream doubles team with Carlos Alcaraz.
David Ferrer, the captain of Spain’s Olympic squad, confirmed the expected news on Wednesday; Nadal had warned last month that switching surfaces from clay to grass would not be ideal for his physique.
Nadal anticipated to retire at some point this year, hence his last match at Wimbledon seems to be a quarter-final victory against Taylor Fritz in 2022, following which he withdrew from the tournament due of an abdominal injury.
Alcaraz, who will make his Olympic debut in Paris, said last summer it would be a dream to play with Nadal in what is probably one of the last events of his career.
Returning from a year off with hip issues, the 38-year-old made the French Open and Olympics top targets. He fell to the finalist Alexander Zverev in the first round of the singles at Roland Garros last month, but will have another shot on the Paris clay since the Olympic tennis is scheduled there. Along with fourteen French Open victories, Nadal boasts two Olympic gold medals—one in singles from Beijing in 2008 and one in doubles with Marc López in Rio eight years ago.
Although the younger player is rather inexperienced in doubles, Nadal and Alcaraz are sure to be among the most appealing draws of the event even if they have never played together in a match. Having just won his third grand slam title at Roland Garros, Alcaraz will enter the singles event as perhaps his preferred choice for gold.
“One pair, which I think everyone knows and was hoping for is Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal and the second pair is yet to be decided, it hasn’t been 100% confirmed yet,” Ferrer remarked. “We shall wait a little before declaring that. But Rafa and Carlos will be playing Paris together.
Apart from Marcel Granollers, world No 2 in doubles, the other players chosen are Pablo Carreno Busta and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The Paris Olympics span 26 July through 11 August.
Andy Murray, meantime, might choose not to challenge for a third Olympic gold medal in Paris should he not be chosen to participate in the doubles event. With two spots allotted for those who have won a grand slam or Olympics tournament, the three-time grand slam title winner and twice Olympic champion qualifies to compete in the singles at the Games.
Murray might, however, overlook the doubles in Paris when Britain is ready to send Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury instead. Murray said following his 6-3, 6-4 loss to Marcos Giron at the Stuttgart Open on Tuesday: “I need to see what happens with the Olympics.”
“I’m not sure exactly what the circumstances are there with the doubles yet or whether or not I should play if I simply enter the singles. I’m unsure. Playing on the clay last month or so, my body felt not fantastic. My back gave me quite a few problems, hence I’m not sure whether I would visit simply for singles. I should wait a bit to observe on that. Murray teamed Daniel Evans to lose in the French Open doubles’ first round.
Between 27 July and 4 August, Roland Garros will host the Olympic tennis competition.
Jack Draper prevailed on Wednesday, Murray unable to upset Giron 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, to get to the Stuttgart quarterfinals. After 31 minutes, Draper scored the first set 6-4; his American opponent rallied for the second set. Making full use of coming to the net, Draper swiftly raced into a 3-0 lead in the deciding set. Giron, the world No 54, battled on, but Draper won with a great backhand to finish his 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory.
“I thought I played a really good first set and then he came back really strong,” said Draper. “I had a small glitch in focus, but then came out in the third set rather strong and was quite satisfied with the manner I was able to come through the match. He beat Andy Murray yesterday; I knew he had such a high level and he is clearly and amazing player.
Now placed second in the live standings, Draper will play Frances Tiafoe in the last eight, having lately passed Cameron Norrie.
At her home event at the Nottingham Open, Katie Boulter maintained her pursuit for a second consecutive triumph, easily making it into the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory against Rebecca Marino.
From surrounding Leicester, Boulter used to train at the Nottingham Tennis Centre, so she is delighted to be able to play her best tennis here. “I always get that nice fuzzy feeling every time I come out here since I have some of my childhood memories here,” she remarked. “Just being back where it started reminds me how far I have come and I simply keep working hard every day and see what happens.”
Heather Watson failed to match her compatriot in the last eight, losing 6-4, 6-4 by the 2016 winner Karolina Pliskova. Watson lost down 6-4, 6-4 although performing really well against the sixth seed.