After all these years, Rafael Nadal is still finding new ways to win matches on his favorite tennis court.
His latest victory on the French clay came alongside Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics, and together they formed a dream pairing – a two-for-the-price-of-one ticket for tennis fans and a moment that could only really happen at the Olympics.
For close to two hours on Court Philippe-Chatrier – the site of Nadal’s 14 French Open titles and Alcaraz’s first just last month – the crowd fell hard for “Nadalcaraz,” providing frenzied support during the Spanish duo’s 7-6(7-4) 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Máximo González and Andrés Molteni.
Saturday’s match was a rare opportunity to see two of the game’s biggest names, each at opposite ends of their career, on the same side of the net: Nadal with all the experience and sparkle of his 22 grand slam titles, and Alcaraz with his flourishing career and high-octane style of play.
The victory against two seasoned doubles players was by no means easy, likely a sign of the limited time that Nadal and Alcaraz have spent training and playing together. But it was nonetheless an entertaining introduction to tennis’ new favorite double act.
“It’s been an emotional night, an electrifying night, an amazing crowd,” Nadal told reporters. “Playing with Carlos on this court has been so special. We’re just super happy about the victory, that it’s given us the chance to keep going.”
Nadal had already taken center stage at this year’s Olympics, chosen as one of the final torchbearers for Friday night’s opening ceremony.
Less than 24 hours later, he was out on court putting on a different kind of show alongside Alcaraz, displaying sharpness and a deft touch at the net. The crowd in Philippe-Chatrier chanted his name throughout the contest, and one of the loudest roars came when he celebrated winning match point by pumping a ball into the stands.
“Yesterday was a super emotional moment for me too and I can’t thank Paris and France enough for giving me that honor,” said Nadal. “The emotion’s still very high, so just enjoying every single moment.”
The teams traded breaks of serve at the start of the Saturday’s match before becoming locked in a tight and lengthy first set. It wasn’t until midway through the first-set tie-break, following chants of “allez Les Blues” with the news that France had won gold in the rugby seven, that Nadal and Alcaraz edged ahead.
Three straight points gave them a 6-3 lead, and Nadal seized the opening with a powerful backhand return down the line to conclude the set.
That advantage looked to be disappearing as González and Molteni broke Nadal’s serve to take a 3-0 lead, but the Spaniards responded in style, reeling off the next 12 points in a row to get back on level terms at 3-3.
Another break of serve followed two games later, which Alcaraz had engineered with a cross-court backhand, before Nadal was able to serve out for the match.
The 21-year-old Alcaraz, playing alongside one of his childhood idols, is on a stunning run of form having won titles at the French Open and Wimbledon in the past two months. He kicked off his Olympics singles campaign by defeating Lebanon’s Hady Habib 6-3 6-1 earlier on Saturday.
That was his first taste of competing at the Olympics, while Nadal is hoping to add to the two golds he has won previously – singles in 2008 and doubles in 2016. Now entering the final stage of his career, it’s as much about enjoying the experience as it is winning titles for the 38-year-old.
His all-star partnership with Alcaraz has only been a couple of weeks in the making, while González and Molteni, who have played and won titles together multiple times in their long careers, provided a difficult early test.
“You see Rafa with his experience and charisma,” Nadal’s coach, Carlos Moyá, said before Saturday’s match. “And then you see Carlos, kind of like Rafa was aged 20 or 21, very expressive and effusive … hopefully they can keep going because it’s a partnership that tennis fans can fall in love with.”
Nadal is still scheduled to play against Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics on Sunday, despite uncertainty around whether he will compete in the singles draw. If he does, he could face Novak Djokovic in the second round, and had a quick response when asked if he was ready for a last dance against his great rival.
“Who said last dance?” he shot back. And who can blame him when he’s still winning on his favorite court, all to the applause of thousands of fans?
