Rafael Nadal was pleased that he and Carlos Alcaraz managed to continue their run as the self styled 'Nadalcaraz' into the Quarter-Finals of the Olympic Games. But one aspect of the game irked the legendary Spaniard.
Nadal who will team up again with Alcaraz to face Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram, the fourth seeds from the USA will face their biggest test yet. Two doubles specialists who won't care about the buzz surrounding their opponents.
But the match was more prolonged than perhaps expected due to a super tie-break. A regular third set was not employed as Nadal and Alcaraz were forced to play first to 10. A rule that was slammed by Nadal in his post match interview. He said he understands its use on the tour but not an event like this.
Nadal has not been best pleased for most of the week with the Spaniard also taking aim at scheduling. Given that he is a huge name, he has been given late night prime time slots but has not received these well when he has had to return early the following day.
"We played much better than the first day. In general terms, I think we played more in harmony and more solidly throughout and I think we were better than our rivals. The thing is that in doubles everything gets complicated very quickly and that was seen in the second set, where being better than them and having more opportunities than the rest, you get to the tiebreak and you lose them," Nadal said after the match.
"On a personal level, I think it is totally unnecessary to play the Olympics with a super tie break. In a Tour tournament I think it is understandable because it allows singles players to also compete in doubles, but the Games are every four years and they are the most important doubles matches of our lives and this format is a bit of a lottery," Nadal continued.
"The atmosphere has been impressive and I'm enjoying every match I play here, with a level of affection and support that's hard to imagine. We're enjoying it together and it's a beautiful thing because we know it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Nadal concluded.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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