By Miguel Rapetti
27 Jul 2024, 18:08 PM EDT
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has left his participation in the Olympic Games’ individual tennis debut on Sunday up in the air due to physical problems, and in his opinion he will try to preserve his chances of winning medals as much as possible.
After winning the doubles with his partner Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal surprised everyone with his statements at a press conference explaining that he will have to talk to his team to make a decision and prioritize medals above all else.
“Tomorrow we will decide whether I play or not. I am not ready to answer that question right now. I will speak with the team. We will make the decisions that we believe are best suited as a team to try to have the best chance of bringing home medals for the Spanish team, to try to give ourselves the chance to make that happen,” said the Spaniard.
Nadal’s criteria was summed up as sometimes “more is less”, referring to the fact that if he cannot compete in singles, due to the pain in his right thigh that he had been suffering from before the match, his objective will be doubles with Alcaraz, with whom he defeated Argentines Andrés Molten and Máximo González 7-6 (4) and 6-4.
Regarding his experience with the reigning Roland Garros champion, Nadal explained that it was a unique moment to play alongside Alcaraz, allowing them to continue dreaming of the gold medal.
“It was an unforgettable moment for me and I think for him too, playing together on this stage, representing Spain at the Olympic Games is a combination that is difficult to beat. And finishing with a victory is something that allows us to dream a little more and move forward,” Nadal concluded before thanking the Olympic Games organisers for including him in the opening ceremony carrying the Olympic torch.
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