Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz put tennis in limelight, captivate fans at Paris Olympics

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PARIS — It can never be like it once was here for Rafael Nadal, in the middle of the place where it seemed like nobody could touch him for almost two decades.

But for the next week or so, Philippe Chatrier Court could be the scene of a different kind of last hurrah: One for his country, one for his scrapbook, one for – and with -- his tennis heir.

And so it began Saturday night: An aging, slowing, balding 38-year old Nadal with his right thigh bandaged and his body in a general state of disrepair, taking to the court at his last Olympics alongside 21-year old phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz, who has already taken over the sport with four Grand Slam titles.

Their games were about as in sync as the mismatched red kits Nike provided them. But the only thing that really needed to be in alignment was the fist pumps. That’s what the fans who packed every seat of this venerated stadium came to see.

And when Alcaraz pelted a backhand return for a clean winner at around the 100th minute of play Saturday night, giving Nadal a chance to serve out the match, they dipped their knees and balled their fists in unison, letting out a Spanish roar and drawing an eruption from the packed crowd that could be heard all the way to Mallorca and Murcia.

A few moments later, it was over – a 7-6, 6-4 victory over a highly-regarded doubles team from Argentina. Now they’re just two more wins from a shot at a medal. Four more wins from a storybook run at doubles gold that, for both of them, might even be more meaningful and fun in this event than even a singles title.

Nadalcaraz? Rafalos? Alcaral?

Who cares. In a city full of superstars, this might be the biggest show in town.

Vamos.

“It has been an emotional night, electrifying night, amazing crowd,” Nadal said. “And to play with Carlos in this court have been so special. So just super happy about the victory, that we have a chance to keep going.”

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It is an increasingly complicated thing to discuss where Olympic tennis truly fits amidst the landscape of professional tennis. It is not as big as any of the four Grand Slams that are played every year. And yet, despite the lack of prize money and ranking points, winning an Olympic medal would assuredly be a more meaningful experience for any athlete than, say, the title in Cincinnati.

When some top players opted out of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, it was understandable: The severe COVID restrictions, the inconvenient travel to Asia for one event, the brutal heat. And this year, in a vacuum, the difficult switch from the French Open clay, to the Wimbledon grass, then back to clay at Roland Garros before US Open prep on hard court is not an easy transition on the body.

But this much seems clear: It’s becoming easier for players to find reasons to skip the Olympics than to go out of their way to play in them. That’s not a great trend. The Olympics will never be the pinnacle of tennis, but they need to seem like a big deal to be worthwhile.

Part of the answer to making them more relevant is likely an increased emphasis on team play and on doubles, where you get to see pairings and matchups you’d never see in a million years on tour.

That’s what makes this Alcaraz-Nadal pairing so irresistible. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the two Spanish GOATs – one young, one old – try and win something that they can share with their country and with each other.

“It’s just a dream for me,” Alcaraz said. “I’m going to enjoy it. We want the win.”

They want it bad. They want it so bad that for the first 20 minutes or so of the match, Alcaraz could barely find the middle of his racquet. A kid who just ran through the French Open and Wimbledon draws like a cold-blooded killer was so nervous that he was the worst player on a court that included two guys who had losing records as singles players on the ATP Tour.

They want it so bad that Nadal may not even show up Sunday to play his singles match against Hungary’s Martin Fucsovics. In interviews with the Spanish media, Nadal was disappointed that he was scheduled to be the second match on Chatrier after finishing doubles relatively late Saturday. He’s also injured, without a whole lot left in the tank, and knows that his best chance to do one last special thing on the court he owned for a generation may be with Alcaraz by his side.

“Just enjoying every single moment,” he said. “And let’s see what’s going on.”

Let’s see, indeed. All of Paris is ready for this show to go as far as it can.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz put tennis in limelight at Paris Olympics