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Spanish dream team Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz saw their hopes of winning Olympic doubles gold shattered on Wednesday by Americans Rajiv Ram and Austin Krajicek. The defeat almost certainly means Nadal will say goodbye to Roland Garros. Although Nadal won the hearts of the crowd at the venue where he has won 14 French Open singles titles, their journey ended with a 6-2, 6-4 defeat in the quarterfinals.
“If this is the last time, I’ll enjoy it.”
Reflection matchThe 38-year-old Nadal expressed his gratitude: “If this is the last time, it will be unforgettable. Every second of the love and support from the audience is so special.” The duo, affectionately known as the “Nadal Karaz”, received enthusiastic support at the packed Philippe Chatrier Stadium, and the atmosphere was like a football In the stadium, fans cheered for them.
When Krajicek matchfacing a breakthrough pointThe court erupted in applause as the referee struggled to maintain order. However, the American fourth seed kept his composure and Krajicek match View The crowd fell silent as the referee confirmed that the ball had hit the white tape.
Nadal game He carried the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony but ultimately failed to win his much-desired third gold medal and it was a poignant moment as he left the stadium with Alcaraz, which fans recorded on their phones.
“Personally, it’s disappointing not to bring a medal back for Spain,” Nadal said. “I tried my best every minute on the court, but it wasn’t enough. I don’t know what the future holds, but if this is the last time, I enjoyed it.”
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been hesitant about retiring, even though retirement seems imminent. When asked about playing the U.S. Open after the Olympics, he responded: “I can’t give you a definite answer. I need some time, but it seems difficult.”
Special atmosphere
Despite spoiling the script, Krajicek acknowledged the special atmosphere. “In that environment, you have to be fully present,” he said. “The energy is incredible.”
Nadal and Alcaraz faced a well-coordinated team, with the 40-year-old Rahm, a four-time Grand Slam doubles champion, playing well at the net. Although they had plenty of support and played well in Paris before, Alcaraz, who had previously reached the singles quarterfinals, struggled this time, double-faulting and losing the first set.
There was no comeback this time, with Alcaraz dropping serve at 3-3, and their frustration was evident on a controversial touchline call after the Rams won. “I enjoyed every second of playing together,” Alcaraz said. “We’re disappointed because we wanted to keep playing.”
Rahm and Krajicek will face Czech duo Tomasz Maczak and Adam Pavlasek for gold match.
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