Paris 2024 Olympics: Will this be tennis legend Rafael Nadal's last big hurrah?

It’s been nearly two decades since Spanish tennis superstar Rafael “Rafa” Nadal made his first appearance at the Olympic Games.

He’s come a long way from the precocious 18-year-old who teamed up with Carlos Moyá in the men’s doubles at the Olympic Games Athens 2004, but Nadal still plays with the same ferocity that led him to victory after victory in his storied career.

With 22 Grand Slam victories, countless ATP tournament wins, an Olympic gold medal and more than 1,000 singles matches to his name, Nadal is one of tennis’s living legends.

Now, at age 38, Nadal is starting to slow down. Despite being more picky about which tournaments he enters and carefully considering the impact of every point on his body, the Spanish tennis ace is reaching the end of his professional career.

While parting is such sweet sorrow, Nadal may be looking to go out with one final hurrah at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

He recently told reporters he had not made a final decision about entering the 2024 US Open later this year, saying, “I’m going to decide what’s going on after the Olympics.”

Nadal has confirmed his intention to play in the Laver Cup after Paris 2024, but he’s left his entry into the US Open up in the air, leading to speculation he may retire at the same tournament as his greatest rival Roger Federer.

A gold medal at Paris 2024 would certainly be a fitting retirement gift for Nadal, the “King of Clay” who has won a record 14 French Opens at Roland Garros.

Of course, nothing is set in stone for the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 singles champion who continues to rack up victories at ATP tournaments and Grand Slams.

For now, Nadal has made it clear that he’s focused on his matches at Paris 2024, giving tennis fans plenty to look forward to as he keeps retirement at bay.