Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz They were one step away from fighting for the medals win, in the ‘super tie-break’, the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof by 6-4, 6-7 (2) and 10-2in almost two and a half hours, to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic doubles tournament.
The Spanish duo overcame the disappointment they suffered in the second set, when the Dutch equalised the score and took the outcome to the final stage. They resolved the match after two hours and twenty-three minutes.
Nadal and Alcaraz are the only Spanish representation in the men’s doubles, after Australians Matthew Ebden and John Peers beat Marcel Granollers and Pablo Carreño (6-2 and 7-5).
The kings of Paris have taken a step forward in their aspirations. Better adapted to the situation, more in tune with each other, they have shown their ability to meet the expectations and excitement generated by the Olympic Games. Alcaraz, who has only played one match against Nadal, has made progress. It was key. He played at a level, without the doubts of the first match when he was behind the pace set by his partner.
Nadal gave another reason to be confident. A day after the huge disappointment of Monday, he picked himself up after the fall. As if nothing had happened, he took on another challenge, another dream. The Balearic player is eager for a reward.
Nadal and Alcaraz, who lacks experience in this modality, have never formed a team before Paris. In fact, the Murcia native, who usually ignores the doubles draws of the tournaments he faces, has only played five doubles draws in his entire career. But none, for example, in 2024.
Even so, the tennis player from El Palmar intends to adapt to the specialty, absorbing all the experience shown by his partner. Nadal is a reference and a legend thanks to the singles, where he has illustrated his career; but he has always had the virtue of adapting to playing with a partner. In fact, his Olympic debut was in doubles, together with Carlos Moyá, in Athens 2004. He did not compete in the singles that year. For the fourth time he faces this experience in the Games. Always with a different partner.
This is how Marc López was crowned champion in Rio 2016, his second Olympic medal after the singles in Beijing 2008. Eleven titles illuminate the record of the winner of twenty-two Grand Slams as a doubles player.
Alcaraz came up against Griekspoor again. Only a few hours had passed since the Murcia native beat the Dutchman in the second round of singles. He won the match in two sets despite the anxiety he felt in the second, when the best version of the Dutchman appeared and had a set point. Alcaraz recovered and solved the problem to put it aside, change his mindset and think about the doubles.
For Nadal, the match with his partner was a relief. A way to put aside the hard setback suffered against Novak Djokovic. There is nothing better than a match to forget the previous one. The Balearic player was able to give the impression that he did not feel the setback in the singles, showing, as always, enthusiasm and ambition on the Suzanne Lenglen court, once again packed and scorched by the strong heat.
The Spanish team took advantage of the uncertainty in the serve of Wesley Koolhof, probably the best of the two Dutchmen in doubles. At least, the one with the greatest experience and success in the modality. He has nineteen ATP titles, three this year, although the 2023 Wimbledon stands out, which together with Neal Skupski he snatched from Marcel Granollers and the Argentine Horacio Zeballos.
The Spanish team threatened to break the game from the first opportunity that Koolhof served. They had two break opportunities, but the Dutchman saved them. In the next one, the Spaniards did not forgive, they snatched the serve from Koolhof, who has Olympic experience since Tokyo 2020, and unbalanced the set.
The Nadal-Alcaraz duo took the lead when they broke Koolhof’s serve, which had been showing the most signs of weakness. Once the imbalance was achieved, sealed with a shot from Alcaraz, the set went in Spain’s favour. So did the match. But just as it happened in the singles, Griekspoor improved in the second set. Just like his partner. Anyone could have broken. No one did. And the outcome of the set was a tie-break, which the Netherlands achieved.
The match went to the wire, to the super tie break. These are moments that both Alcaraz and Nadal know all too well. With tension, without margin for error. They were placed with a clear 5-0. An insurmountable advantage that gave the victory to Nadal and Alcaraz, close to the medals.
The Spanish They will face Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajjev Ram in the quarterfinals.who beat Brazilians Thiago Monteiro and Thiago Seyboth Wild by 6-4 and 7-6 (3).
*With information from EFE.
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