New French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz and veteran Rafael Nadal, who has won a record 14 times at Roland Garros, have both been included in the Spanish team for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Rafael Nadal (R) communicates with Carlos Alcaraz after the men's singles quarter-final between Rafael Nadal of Spain and his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz at the Madrid Open in Madrid, Spain, May 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)
The news was confirmed by the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) at an event in Barcelona on Wednesday, with Alejandro Davidovich, Pablo Carreno and Marcel Granollers also included in the team.
Team captain David Ferrer confirmed that Alcaraz, Nadal, Davidovich and Carreno will compete in the singles, while Alcaraz and Nadal will compete together in the doubles.
"Rafa and Carlos will play together in Paris if nothing impedes it," confirmed Ferrer, who insisted that the Olympics were "incredibly important."
Ferrer also announced that Nadal would not compete at Wimbledon this summer in what the 38-year-old, 22-times Grand Slam winner has already said this will be his final season.
"Nadal will be in good condition (for the Olympics) and he is preparing carefully. Rafa is not going to play at Wimbledon," said the captain.
Nadal's Olympic experience goes back 16 years ago, and began with him winning gold medal in the singles in Beijing 2008. He also won a gold in doubles (with Marc Lopez) in Rio 2016.