PARIS (AP) — Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are getting the hang of this doubles thing, improving to 2-0 as a team and moving into the Paris Olympics quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-7 (2), 10-2 match tiebreaker victory over Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands on Tuesday night.
“A dream come true for me, playing on the same side of the net with Rafa, learning from him,” Alcaraz said. “It is unbelievable. … I’m trying to enjoy my time with him.”
Playing a day after Nadal’s singles loss to rival Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz’s win against Griekspoor, the old-and-young Spanish duo, wearing polo shirts in slightly different shades of red, didn’t look like a pairing that never had played together until this event.
They discussed strategy between points. They both played quite well at the net. And they celebrated with each other frequently, looking like a couple of pals out in a public park for fun.
“We are trying to enjoy (ourselves) as much as possible. We are not doubles players, so we are not used to playing doubles. The only way to make that work well is to play with happiness, with energy and with high energy,” Nadal said. “We have a good relationship outside the court, so that helps.”
They agreed that they were much better in this match than in their first-rounder.
As has been the case throughout tennis at this Summer Games, the attention was fully on the 38-year-old Nadal, owner of 22 Grand Slam titles and two gold medals, and the 21-year-old Alcaraz, whose major trophy total already is at four, including from the French Open last month and Wimbledon this month.
Nadal — whose wife and 1 1/2-year-old son, Rafael Jr., were in the stands — and Alcaraz will face the fourth-seeded American team of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram on Wednesday for a semifinal berth. Krajicek and Ram beat Thiago Monteiro and Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday.
“Looking forward to it a lot,” Ram said. “Playing these two guys … is incredible. But we’re both also determined and motivated to go out there and play our best tennis.”
In the scorching morning, more than six hours before this doubles match began, fans crowded into tiny Court 3 a short walk away for a practice session with Nadal at one baseline and Alcaraz at the other. Some folks waited in lines dozens deep hoping to get in to catch at least a glimpse of the two stars.
Then, in the muggy evening, spectators filled every seat at 10,000-capacity Court Suzanne Lenglen, the second-largest stadium at Roland Garros, the facility being used for Summer Games tennis and also the site of the annual French Open that Nadal has won a record 14 times.
“It was pretty awesome, obviously. I think 98% was against us, though,” said Koolhof, a former doubles No. 1 and the 2023 men’s doubles champion at Wimbledon. “If you play them, anybody in the world, wherever they’re from, will support them.”
He and Griekspoor were introduced first, to polite applause and yells from their orange-clad Dutch supporters. Then came Nadal and Alcaraz — “Nadalcaraz,” as some have coined them — and the noise was rather substantial. As at Nadal’s previous outings at these Olympics, the chants of “Ra-fa!” or shouts of “Vamos, Rafa!” or “Let’s go, Rafa! Let’s go!” were forceful and frequent.
And he and Alcaraz delivered.
Nadal, who’s been dealing with various injuries the past two seasons, including hip surgery in 2023, did not seem nearly as hampered as he did against Djokovic; then again, doubles requires far less running and exertion than singles, of course.
Alcaraz showed no signs of being bothered by a painful groin muscle that he says has bothered him since Wimbledon and led him to take a medical timeout against Griekspoor on Monday.
The Spaniards kept earning break points in the opening set, taking advantage of Griekspoor’s trouble volleying — can’t be easy to handle from up close the powerful shots off the rackets of Nadal or Alcaraz — then finally converted one to go up 4-3.
That lead arrived when Alcaraz smacked a forehand winner.
Nadal cried out, “Si!” Alcaraz screamed, Vamos!” They slapped palms. There would be more work to do, especially after dropping the second set, but they came through and will play on.
“If Rafa decides to play doubles every week, he can beat my record of titles,” Koolhof said with a smile. “It’s tough to play them. Personally I’ve never played those kind of guys, just hitting bombs from all over the court.”
___ AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
