Rafael Nadal hopes to end Olympic career with a third podium finish at Paris 2024

Rafael Nadal is a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Twenty-two-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal has revealed that he wants to win a medal in his last Olympic campaign.

Nadal suffered a hip injury during the 2023 Australian Open, which ruled him out for the rest of the year last season. This season he returned to action at the 2024 Brisbane International, where his hip injury flared. As a result, Nadal was forced to miss more months of action due to recovery.

He eventually returned to tennis at the 2024 Barcelona Open but was eliminated in the second round by Australia’s Alex de Minaur. Nadal then reached the fourth round of the Madrid Open, where he lost against Jiri Lehecka. That was followed by a disappointing first-round exit against Alexander Zverev at the French Open 2024.

Recently, Rafael Nadal also announced that he would be missing the 2024 Wimbledon Championships as he’s aiming to play at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been named to the Spanish tennis squad for the Olympics. Nadal will play in the singles event as well as the doubles, alongside Carlos Alcaraz.

Thus, reflecting on his last Olympic campaign, the King of Clay exhibited his desire to win his third medal at the sporting mega fest. He said, “On the sporting level, I try to play the tournaments that my body allows me to play. What I look forward to is to prepare for the Olympic Games.”

He further added, “If everything goes well, I will play the tournament in Sweden. I’m really looking forward to participating in the Olympic Games, this is my last chance, and I hope to be able to win a medal.”

Also Read: Rafael Nadal’s top five moments at Wimbledon

Nadal is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He won gold in the men’s singles event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also won the men’s doubles gold alongside Marc López Tarrés. However, the Spaniard has been out of form for a long time.

Thus, it would be a challenge for him to win a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Apart from Nadal, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic is also keen to win an Olympic gold medal, which he has not been able to win in his previous attempts.

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