Rafael Nadal, the 14-time Roland Garros champion, is gearing up for his first-round match against Marton Fucsovics at the Olympics in Paris after a setback with his right thigh. Despite being uncertain about his participation, Nadal decided to take the court after scoring a doubles win with Carlos Alcaraz the night before.
The Spanish veteran, who has not played singles at the Olympics in eight years, trained on Court Philippe-Chatrier earlier in the day before making the decision to stay in the tournament. This sets the stage for an exciting showdown between Nadal and Fucsovics, with the winner set to face off against Novak Djokovic in the next round.
This match could mark the 60th meeting between Nadal and Djokovic, two of the sport’s greatest rivals. Nadal arrived in Paris fresh off his first ATP final in over two years in Bastad, where he opted to skip the grass swing and focus on clay.
Nadal’s journey in Bastad saw him secure four wins for the first time since Wimbledon 2022, including a nail-biting victory against Mariano Navone in the quarter-finals. With his eyes set on a strong performance at the Olympics, Nadal is prepared to face whatever challenges come his way on the court.
