Nadal may skip singles after win with Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal said on Saturday that he does not know if he will play singles at the Paris Olympics after picking up a thigh injury in training.

Nadal is due to face Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in the first round today and victory would hand him a 60th career clash with old rival Novak Djokovic. "I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know if I am going to play tomorrow or not,” said the 38-year-old Spaniard, who is at his farewell Olympics and is also in the men’s doubles. "I will talk to my people and make the smartest decision that I can to have the best chance of bringing a medal home, so let’s see.”

Nadal, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, teamed up with Carlos Alcaraz for the first time and defeated Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in front of a packed, raucous crowd under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Nadal, a singles gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and doubles title winner at Rio four years later, appeared on court with a bandage strapped around his right thigh. The Olympics is just his seventh tournament of 2024, in a season where he has also battled a hip injury and seen his singles ranking plummet to 161.

"Sometimes more isn’t always more, sometimes more is less,” added Nadal over the decision he faces. "I am just enjoying the moment playing doubles together with Carlos,” added Nadal, who featured in the opening ceremony on Friday when he carried the Olympic torch. "It has been an unforgettable day for me today and an unforgettable day on Saturday. I am enjoying every single moment, having the best experience possible.”

Hours earlier when Alcaraz had opened his singles campaign with a straights sets victory over Hady Habib, the 21-year-old said it was a "dream” to play alongside his compatriot Nadal. The duo appeared to a standing ovation on the same packed court where Nadal won 14 French Opens and Alcaraz collected his first just last month.

Gonzalez and Molteni, the sixth seeds, entered the arena to a chorus of boos in the aftermath of a recent racism row between Argentina and France. The Spanish pair endured a nightmare start when Alcaraz was broken in the first game. Having not played doubles on tour since 2022, the rustiness was not surprising.

The greater experience of Nadal was key and the break was quickly retrieved with the veteran’s reflexes as razor sharp as ever at the net. Alcaraz and Nadal went to three set points in the tiebreaker and a pinpoint backhand down the line by Nadal secured the opener.

Gonzalez and Molteni raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set but back came the Spanish pair to level. Nadal secured another key break with a rasping backhand return to allow him and his partner to lead 5-4 and the opportunity to serve for the match. That honour fell to the 22-time Grand Slam title champion and victory was secured when Alcaraz slapped the winning forehand crouching at the net.

Djokovic, Swiatek cruise

Earlier, Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek cruised into the second round on a rain-swept Roland Garros. Djokovic, chasing a first Olympic gold to add to his 24 Grand Slams, brushed aside Australia’s Matthew Ebden 6-0, 6-1 in just 53 minutes under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier. Swiatek enjoyed a straight-sets win against Irina-Camelia Begu.

Only a handful of the day’s matches were completed on the covered Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen arenas.

"Playing him is like finals for me. His record at Roland Garros speaks for itself,” said Djokovic of potentially facing Nadal. "If we face each other, it’s possibly going to be for the last time on the big stage.”

On Saturday, Djokovic was barely pushed by 36-year-old Ebden, who only made the tournament as an alternate after a series of injury pullouts. Without a singles ranking, doubles specialist Ebden had not played a singles match for two years before he got an unexpected Olympics call.

Also going through on a curtailed day was fourth seeded Daniil Medvedev, the Russian former world number one playing as a neutral, who defeated Rinky Hijikata in straight sets.

Women’s world number one Swiatek battled to a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Begu as the 23-year-old Pole returned to the court where she captured a fourth French Open title last month.

Swiatek, who only made the second round on her Olympics debut in Tokyo three years ago, will face either Diane Parry of France or Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska for a place in the last 16. Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, easily defeated by Swiatek in the French Open final, also made the second round with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Romania’s Ana Bogdan.

Saturday’s night session closed with Angelique Kerber defeating fellow mother Naomi Osaka, a four-time major winner, 7-5, 6-3. Kerber, 36, and a three-time Grand Slam title winner, will retire from tennis at the Games.