Rafael Nadal and
Carlos Alcaraz had a difficult task in their official debut as a doubles pair. In the first round of the Paris 2024
Olympic Games, they were playing the Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, number 6 seeds and clear favorites for the medals. But they did not mind at all and defeated them in two sets, with a score of 7-6(4) and 6-4.
First set
The match started with a visibly nervous Carlos Alcaraz, giving up his first service game in favor of the Argentines. But an experienced Nadal led from the front to return the break instantly. Halfway through the set, the roles were exchanged and Alcaraz began to raise the level considerably. The match was very close and, as a result, they went to the tie-break.
Everything started the same in the tiebreak, a very even duel until the change of ends. They went 3-3 but from that moment on the Spaniards pressed and took three set points in favor. The Argentines were able to save the first but could not with the second, and Nadal and Alcaraz closed the tie-break by 7-4 to take the first set.
Second set
With the drop in tension and concentration of the Spaniards, Gonzalez and Molteni took advantage of it to start like a steamroller and take a 3-0 lead. The change of side seemed to recharge the batteries of Nadal and Alcaraz, who won the next three games in white in a row and squeezed the South Americans, even having options to get 4-3 and serve.
But the Argentines held well, although they could not put Alcaraz in trouble with their serve. The Spaniards did not let the opportunity pass and broke their rivals' serve at the best moment. They put 5-4 on the scoreboard and lost the match with Rafa Nadal's serve.
In the second round they will face the winning pair between the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof and the Hungarians Marton Fucsovics and Fabian Marozsan. Interestingly, Griekspoor could be Alcaraz's opponent in singles and Fuscovics will be Nadal's first opponent.
