Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are outclassed by experience and eliminated from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games smelling the medals but with a complicated task ahead which they failed in.

After beating Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni and Dutchmen Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof in the first two rounds, this time they faced Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, number 4 seeds and great doubles specialists. Throughout the match they showed why, and left the Spaniards in the dust, beating them 6-2, 6-4.

Nadal and Alcaraz pay for a bad start

The match could not have started worse for the European pair, with a break against. From there, they trailed throughout the set, until in the seventh game of the match, the most even of all by far, Alcaraz committed two consecutive double faults that condemned the two former world number 1 singles players. The Americans served to take the first set and did not fail, leaving the scoreboard in a resounding 6-2.

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Nadal's improvement was not enough

The second set was much more even. Unlike the first half of the first set, where Carlitos was the best of the pair, this time it was Rafa who pulled more of the cart for Spain. When it seemed that the set was doomed to go to a tie-break, the Americans broke Alcaraz's serve with an empty game in the return.

In a final epic attempt by Nadal and Carlos, they got their first two break points of the match. Krajicek, who was playing an outstanding match, had his hand tremble in the most tense moment of the match and the crowd went absolutely crazy cheering and supporting the Spaniards. They again had a third but the Team USA pair brought out all their experience and were able to close the match with a hard-fought 6-4 final.

In the semifinals they will face the Czechs Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek, who have surprised the number 2 seeds, the German couple formed by Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz with a result of 3-6, 6-1 and 10-5. If they win this next match they will secure the medal and if not they will have to fight for the bronze in the third and fourth place.

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