Rafael Nadal has set up a highly anticipated showdown with Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics after securing a hard-fought victory over Marton Fucsovics in the first round on Sunday. Nadal had initially raised doubts about his participation in the singles event due to a thigh injury but ultimately decided to compete.
The 38-year-old Spaniard demonstrated his prowess on Court Philippe Chatrier, where he has achieved 14 French Open titles, by convincingly winning the first set. However, Fucsovics ranked 83rd in the world, put up a strong fight and managed to push Nadal to a third set.
Fucsovics applied pressure on Nadal by holding three break points for a 3-1 lead in the decider, but the experienced Nadal remained resilient and broke back in the following game. A determined hold of serve brought Nadal closer to victory, and he ultimately triumphed over Fucsovics after a competitive two-hour and 30-minute battle.
Having won gold in singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in doubles at the Rio Games in 2016, Nadal’s participation in just his seventh tournament of 2024 demonstrates his commitment to the sport.
Rafael Nadal participated in the doubles event on Saturday alongside Carlos Alcaraz.
However, Nadal was seen with his right thigh heavily bandaged during the match. Despite this, the pair managed to secure victory in the first-round match in straight sets. Nadal’s participation in the doubles event raises questions about his potential appearance at a fifth Olympics.
