Excitement is building up as the world gears up for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Tennis is set to be a major feature throughout the event as the Parisian clay courts of Roland-Garros get ready to serve as the center stage. The opening ceremony of the marquee event is scheduled for July 26.
In tennis, the Olympics offer an intriguing blend of seasoned players as well as up-and-coming talent. While experienced athletes like Rafael Nadal (Spain) and Novak Djokovic (Serbia) will be looking to add to their already impressive trophy cabinet, up-and-coming stars like Spain's Carlos Alcaraz will be challenging to claim their maiden Olympic medals.
The outfits for the opening ceremony were recently unveiled, and countries around the world are now preparing for fierce competition. The quadrennial event is all set to begin with an impressive display of fashion. Here's a look at the outfits of Spain, Australia, the United States of America and Poland.
The Olympics is set to host over 300 events across 32 sports, from gymnastics and swimming to basketball and volleyball, in a bid to showcase the pinnacle of human athleticism. The French capital, Paris, gets ready to play host to the iconic event, marking the first Olympic Games Opening Ceremony to be held outside a stadium.
Roland-Garros returns to Olympic Tennis after 30 long years
After a three-decade absence, red clay returns to the Olympic stage in Paris 2024. This marks a historic shift from grass and hard courts, which were used in recent times.
The Roland Garros Stadium, built in 1928 and nestled amidst the lush Bois de Boulogne in Paris, stands as one of the most iconic venues for tennis in the world. Roland-Garros boasts 18 courts, one of which is the renowned Philippe Chatrier, which has a retractable roof. The finals, semi-finals and bronze medal matches of the singles category will be held at Philippe Chatrier.
The stage is set in Paris as the biggest names in the game arrive for the event. All eyes will be on Rafael Nadal, the "King of Clay," as he enters the tournament with massive expectations. The 22-time Grand Slam winner has won 14 French Open titles on this very surface. The 38-year-old, who recently ended as the runners-up of the Swedesh Open, is also set to partner with 2024 Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz in the doubles category.
Meanwhile, women's World No. 2, Coco Gauff, will be arriving in Paris with redemption on her mind, as the young American missed out on the Tokyo games due to COVID-19.
Doubles specialists like Rohan Bopanna (India) and Rajeev Ram (USA) will hope to make use of their years of experience, while established pairs like Taylor Fritz & Tommy Paul (USA) look to win gold medals for their country.
All in all, the tennis event in Paris is highly anticipated, and fans are sure to be treated to some excellent tennis.
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