Paris 2024 Olympics: Nadalcaraz? Alcadal? Why names don’t matter as Nadal and Alcaraz aim for gold together
Ever since the announcement that tennis legend Rafael Nadal and phenom Carlos Alcaraz would step out together in the men’s doubles at Paris 2024, the buzz of excitement has been palpable.
So much so that tennis fans across the world have been wracking their brains to think up the perfect moniker for Spain’s dynamic tennis duo.
Nadalcaraz? Alcadal? Raflitos? The suggestions have been flooding in.
But for the 38-year-old Nadal and his talented 21-year-old partner Alcaraz, just being together on the court means far more than any nickname they accrue along the way.
“What we will be called will depend on the result,” Nadal said with a smile in a Spanish press conference at the Olympic and Paralympic Village in Paris on 24 July. “We will try to remember this [the Olympic experience] in a positive way. We are going to leave with the peace of mind of having done everything that is possible.”
Alcaraz, who grew up idolising Nadal, expressed his joy at standing beside him dressed in the red and yellow of Spain on the Olympic courts of Roland Garros.
“There’s no better way to make your Games’ debut than by forming a doubles partnership with Rafa,” he said. “We’ll do our best, with the greatest desire, with a lot of enthusiasm while making people enjoy it.”
Nadal on the Olympic Games: "This is a reminder of where we come from and where the spirit of sport comes from"
While Nadal spoke effusively about the Olympics being the “biggest event in the world of sport”, he's also relishing the opportunity to mingle with young Olympians including Alcaraz in the Olympic Village and the stadiums of Paris 2024.
“On a personal level, it gives me satisfaction and I am rewarded by being here at the Olympic Games in a setting that is obviously very special to me," he said.
“It also rejuvenates you to be here and it’s a return to the beginning of everything when I was playing small tournaments. Here is the reminder of where we really come from and where the spirit of sport comes from.”
And while a relative newcomer to the sport in comparison to his decorated doubles partner, Alcaraz is conscious of the unique atmosphere of the Olympic Games, which cannot be experienced in any other sporting arena in the world.
“It’s [still] Roland Garros but you experience it differently,” he explained. “My feeling is different. These are my first Olympic Games and I have been looking forward to this experience. I’m playing for my teammates and for an entire country, and that makes it different.”
Nadalcaraz: a “dream” partnership
One thing is clear, whichever nickname stands the test of time, Nadal and Alcaraz are thrilled to be together in Paris.
“Playing my first doubles tournament with Rafa is a a dream come true,” said Alcaraz who has won four Grand Slams including the 2024 French Open, which took place on the same famous courts as the competition at the upcoming Games.
“I’m very excited to play with the best player in the world in the doubles,” added Nadal, who himself has 22 Grand Slam singles titles including 14 won at Roland Garros. “He is going to be one of the greatest in history.”
However, while the two are excited to play together, and the tennis world is buzzing about the prospect of seeing how the two greats combine, Nadal was eager to sound a word of caution to those expecting them to breeze through every match.
“I understand people are curious to see us playing together,” he said. “But that does not mean we will be a success.”
For now, tennis fans across the world will continue to speculate as to how history will remember the Nadal/Alcaraz duo at Paris 2024, while the players themselves soak in the once-in-a-lifetime of playing together at the Olympic Games.
Tennis gets underway at Roland Garros on 27 July, with the order of play released on 26 July.