"I'm the rookie, I have to keep my mouth shut & listen to Rafael Nadal" - Carlos Alcaraz on playing doubles with compatriot at Paris Olympics 2024

Carlos Alcaraz recently talked about teaming up with Rafael Nadal for the doubles event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Alcaraz will be making his debut in this year's Games, while Nadal will be participating in his fourth Olympics.

Alcaraz will be going into the Olympics this year on the back of two consecutive Grand Slam title wins, the 2024 French Open win, where he defeated Alexander Zverev in the final, and the 2024 Wimbledon Championships win, where he defeated Novak Djokovic to win his second grasscourt Major title.

Meanwhile, Nadal, who is potentially playing his final season as a professional player, will enter the Paris Olympics following a runner-up finish in the singles event at the 2024 Nordea Open. He also participated in the doubles event with Casper Ruud, but the duo withdrew before their semifinal match.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion is the only active player to have won gold medals in both singles and doubles. He claimed singles gold on his singles debut in Beijing in 2008 and doubles gold in Rio 2016 alongside Marc Lopez.

This year, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal have teamed up for the doubles event to represent Spain in tennis at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Another Spanish pair, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers, will also compete in the doubles event.

Recently, while speaking to ABC Sports, Carlos Alcaraz talked about his upcoming doubles matches with Nadal. He mentioned that they haven't discussed their strategy much yet, but said that he is confident that they will be able to plan once they are at the Games.

"Not much. He's also doing his thing, we're doing ours. We talk very little, but when we're at the Games, we'll talk about that doubles and, above all, how we're going to do it," Carlos Alcaraz said (translated from Spanish).

Carlos Alcaraz admitted that he is not nervous about the Olympics yet, but he anticipates feeling the pressure once he arrives in Paris. He expressed that he is eager to learn from Nadal, who has extensive experience of competing at the Olympics.

Alcaraz said that he is the "rookie" in this situation and will observe, listen, and absorb as much knowledge as possible from Rafael Nadal.

"I'm not nervous right now. When the time comes, I will be. And yes, obviously, he's already experienced this, he already knows what it's like to play in the Olympics, to win a gold in both singles and doubles. I'm new, I'm the rookie here, so I have to keep my mouth shut and just listen to him," he added.

Carlos Alcaraz: "The doubles with Rafael Nadal is going to be a really dream moment for me"

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz

Earlier this month, while speaking with the Tennis Channel regarding the 2024 Paris Olympics, Carlos Alcaraz expressed that he will be aiming to bring home the gold medal for Spain. He also talked about his doubles match with Rafael Nadal and said that playing alongside him would be a "dream moment" for him and that they would compete for the gold in that event as well.

"I am going to go for the title, I am going to go just thinking that I will able to win it, that's my goal to bring a medal to my country, hopefully, the gold medal. And obviously, the doubles with Rafa ( Rafael Nadal) is going to be a really dream moment for me. Obviously, we will try to bring the gold medal again," Carlos Alcaraz said [5:22].

Alcaraz revealed that he has goals for the Paris Olympics which extend beyond winning medals. He said that he is looking forward to gaining the experience of being part of the Olympic Village and interacting with fellow Spanish athletes from various sports.

"Well, I have huge expectations for the Olympic Games, not for the result side but to enjoy the experience, being in the village with all the Spanish athletes it's going to be a really beautiful moment for me. I will try to enjoy as much as I can," he added.

In addition to Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, Spain will be represented in tennis at the 2024 Paris Olympics by players like Pedro Martinez, Jaume Munar, Pablo Carreno Busta, Marcel Granollers, Cristina Bucsa, and Sara Sorribes Tormo.