Winning a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics has become Rafael Nadal’s top priority, though he admits uncertainty regarding pre-tournament plans with Carlos Alcaraz.
Nadal, the tennis legend, is aiming for his third Olympic gold medal after securing singles gold at the 2008 Beijing Games and doubles gold with Marc Lopez at the 2016 Rio Games.
Initially, there were doubts about his participation in this year’s Olympics due to ongoing injuries and a drop in rankings, but the 22-time Grand Slam champion has used his protected ranking to secure a spot.
He will only compete in doubles for Spain, partnering with the rising star Alcaraz, and has entered the Sweden Open as a warm-up event.
However, he is currently set to play singles only in Bastad.
“I’m training to be ready for singles. I want to perform at a high level in singles, knowing that if I do, I’ll also play well in doubles,” he told L’Equipe.
“That’s always been my approach: good singles performance leads to good doubles. It’s true I haven’t played doubles in a while, and ideally, I would have played a tournament beforehand, but that wasn’t possible.
“If Carlos is available and I’m physically fit, I think it would be beneficial to train together the week before the Olympic tournament.
“The Olympics are about teamwork. Doubles are almost as important as singles. It’s a chance to compete for a medal, and that’s the ultimate goal.”
Nadal also gave an update on his potential retirement, hinting he might continue playing after the Olympics.
The Bastad event, on clay, is scheduled from July 15-21, making it unlikely for Alcaraz to participate as Wimbledon, played on grass, runs from July 1-14.
The former world No. 1 acknowledges that Alcaraz faces a challenging situation ahead of the Games due to the packed schedule.
“It’s more complicated for Carlos than for me. I’m not playing any tournaments between now and Bastad, but he has a Grand Slam approaching,” Nadal said.
“We’re at different stages in our careers. I’ve been where he is, and I understand how a player like Carlos thinks. He has to focus on winning as much as he can.
“And for me, my job is to prepare for what truly excites me. I’m past the stage of needing to win every week. He’s in that phase. My task is to be ready to reach the best possible level before entering a tournament.”