The serve is sinking Rafael Nadal’s ambitions

Rafael Nadal arrived at the Olympic village with his young compatriot Carlos Alcaraz. The 22-time Grand Slam champion reached the final at Bastad last week, but he has confessed that he is not satisfied with his current level.

Rafa risked against all the opponents at Bastad and was defeated very clearly by Nuno Borges in the final. The former world number 1 is training hard to find an acceptable form, but physical problems and old age prevent him from playing with the same intensity as in the past.

The Spanish legend will be one of the main attractions of the Olympic tournament, which will be played on the same surface as the French Open. Rafa must also hope for a favorable draw, avoiding perhaps the big favorites such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.

According to many experts, Nadal has more chance of winning a medal in doubles together with Alcaraz. The young Spaniard has just won the 2024 French Open and the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, beating seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the final. The Olympic tournament will start on Saturday, July 27th and end on Sunday, August 4th. It is not clear what Rafa’s future will be after the Paris Olympics. Although he appears in the entry list of the US Open, Nadal has not confirmed his presence in New York. Rafa will miss the Masters 1000 in Montreal and Cincinnati, while he will be present at the Laver Cup at the end of September.

Rafa is getting ready

Meanwhile, the first pictures and videos have arrived from Paris. Rafa Nadal has already started training on the Philippe Chatrier, the famous court that made him an icon of modern sport. During a recent interview with Clay, top coach Brad Gilbert reflected on Nadal’s current level: “He will probably never reach his best level again, but I think above all else, every athlete wants to be able to retire in his own way.