Rafa Nadal returned to his favorite stomping ground with young sidekick Carlos Alcaraz as Spain’s new dream team took their first stride on the road to Olympic gold on Saturday.
The 38-year-old king of Roland Garros and the 21-year-old prince of men’s tennis were roared on by a packed Court Philippe Chatrier crowd during a 7-6(4) 6-4 defeat of the sixth-seeded Argentine pair Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.
Earlier, Alcaraz had played and won his singles match, beating Lebanon’s Hady Habib 6-3 6-1 on a rain-hit opening day of Olympics tennis, where only a handful of matches were completed.
Men’s top seed Novak Djokovic thrashed Australian alternate Matthew Ebden 6-0 6-1 after women’s favorite Iga Swiatek of Poland launched her bid for gold with a scrappy 6-2 7-5 win against Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu.
But the day’s headline act was always going to be the opening chapter of the ‘Nadalcaraz’ story, which will surely etch itself into the Parisian red clay over the coming days.
It was the first time 14-time French Open champion Nadal and Alcaraz, winner of four Grand Slams including this year’s French Open and Wimbledon, had played together in competition.
There were some misfires, and Alcaraz admitted he was nervous playing with his idol, but they gelled quickly enough to subdue the skillful South American duo in front of Nadal’s son Rafa Jr. and the two daughters of Spain’s King Felipe.
“An unforgettable moment for me, without a doubt,” Nadal told reporters. “I think for him too, to come out here on this stage and play together representing Spain in the Olympic Games is a combination that is difficult to beat.”
Nadal’s preparation was unusual, spending Friday night carrying the Olympic torch in a boat on a choppy River Seine in the rain at the opening ceremony.
There were also injury concerns ahead of what is likely to be his last dance at Roland Garros, but Nadal rolled back the years on the rectangle of red dirt he first conquered when Alcaraz was a two-year-old.
‘SMARTEST DECISION’
Nadal is due to play Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in a Sunday schedule featuring a whopping 68 matches, although the Spaniard, who won singles gold in 2008 and the doubles in 2016, said he would have to speak with his team.
“I’ll talk with my people and then make the smartest decision possible to have the best chances to bring some medals back home,” Nadal, who has considered ending his glittering career this season because of injuries, said.
While Nadal chases a third Olympic title, 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic is yet to bag one in four previous Games.
Djokovic has suffered some heartbreaking Olympic disappointments, twice losing in singles semi-finals, with his only medal being a singles bronze from 2008.
The 37-year-old could not have asked for an easier start in his bid to fill the gap in his trophy cabinet as he dispatched doubles specialist Ebden in 53 minutes. Djokovic could next face Nadal if his old Spanish adversary beats Fucsovics.
“He has to win his first round tomorrow, but playing him is like a final for me in any tournament, and particularly here, knowing what he has achieved,” the Serb said of a potential 11th career meeting with Nadal at Roland Garros.
Swiatek opened proceedings under the closed Court Philippe Chatrier 50 days after winning her fourth French Open on the same arena and admitted it had been a tough start.
“I’m happy that I’m through because first rounds are never easy, especially at the Olympics,” she told reporters after matching her run to the second round in Tokyo.
The opening day of tennis was disrupted by heavy rain, with thousands of fans without tickets left frustrated as not a ball was struck on the uncovered courts.
Italy’s French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini beat Romania’s Ana Bogdan 7-5 6-3, while a soggy day ended with Germany’s retiring Angelique Kerber extending her career a bit longer with a win by the same score over Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
There was heartbreak for French favorite Caroline Garcia, though, as she lost to Romanian Jaqueline Cristian.
