When it was over, when Rafael Nadal’s Paris Games — and his Olympic career — ended with a doubles loss in a stadium central to his legacy because it hosts the French Open, which he’s won a record 14 times, he soaked in the applause accompanying his exit from the red clay.
Was this 6-2, 6-4 defeat alongside Carlos Alcaraz to the fourth-seeded American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram actually Nadal’s last match at Roland Garros?
Let’s let Nadal answer: “Maybe,” he said later in the evening. “I don’t know.”
Was it his last match anywhere? No way for anyone to be sure if he himself isn’t.
After collecting his equipment from the sideline, the 38-year-old Spaniard looked around the place that has meant so much to him during his time in tennis and waved to the spectators, who were bidding adieu with the latest in a series of standing ovations for him during these Olympics. Nadal paused before stepping through the doorway that leads toward the locker room, and Alcaraz placed his right hand on his partner’s left shoulder.
READ | Rafael Nadal’s Games end in doubles loss with Carlos Alcaraz to Americans Krajicek and Ram
“If that’s the last time (here) for me, it’s an unforgettable feeling and emotions. They give me the love and support every single second that I have been on court,” Nadal said about the spectators, who clapped and yelled and sang for him throughout the quarterfinal match.
“It’s super, super special to feel that, particularly in this place. So I can’t really thank all of them enough for giving me the feelings I have inside myself and the emotions they make me feel,” he continued. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but if that’s the last time, I enjoyed it.”
The match was played at Court Philippe Chatrier, where French Open finals are contested, where he accumulated more than half of his haul of 22 Grand Slam trophies.
“For me,” Ram said, “Rafa at Roland Garros is the ultimate.”
Nadal has not announced anything about a possible retirement, but given his age and recent history of injuries — including hip surgery in 2023 — it seems safe to say he probably does not have much left in him. He said Wednesday he doubts he will compete in the US Open, which starts in late August.
“I need some time (to decide), but for me, (it) looks difficult,” Nadal said.
He won gold medals for Spain in singles at Beijing in 2008 and in doubles at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. This time around, he was defeated in singles on Monday by rival Novak Djokovic.
When Krajiceck served out the victory, Alcaraz and Nadal hugged on one side of the net — and the Americans did the same on the other side.
“It was an unbelievable experience for me. It’s something I will never forget, that’s for sure — playing on the same side of the net (as) Rafa,” Alcaraz said. “I tried to enjoy every single second that we played together.”
Nadal and Alcaraz are not frequent doubles players — indeed, this was their first event together.
They do, however, own a combined 26 Grand Slam singles titles. Alcaraz has four, including this year’s French Open in June, then Wimbledon in July.
“I’m a little disappointed right now,” Alcaraz said. “Obviously we wanted to keep going. We wanted to get the win and give us a chance to fight for a medal.”
Ram and Krajicek are far more accomplished in doubles. Both have been ranked No. 1. Ram has collected four Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles with another partner and Krajicek one.
All four players on court could be heard communicating over the hush that enveloped the stands shortly before points began. At moments, the Americans’ yells of “You! You!” were clearly audible.
After points — especially those won by Nadal and Alcaraz — it got loud under the retractable roof shut because of rain. Really loud. There were chants of “Ra-fa!” and chants for his country — “Es-pa-ña!” — occasionally answered by far less vociferous shouts of “U-S-A!”
Nadal is as popular a player who ever has competed at Roland Garros. So popular that there is a steel statue of him that stands just outside Chatrier.
It was in that arena that he was handed those 14 French Open trophies. And in that arena that he lost to rival Djokovic on Monday.
No one knows whether he ever will go back and play there again. If he doesn’t return, it’s hard to say who would be sadder — Nadal himself or his many, many fans.
“At this stage of my career, I play for feelings,” he said. “I play for emotions, more than for results.”
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