Nadal comes through practice session after thigh injury scare

The Spaniard is expected to take his place in the doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, though his singles participation remains uncertain

Zuma / Panoramic

Simon Cambers

July 26, 2024

Good news for Rafael Nadal fans, it seems, at the Paris Olympics.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion came through a doubles practice session alongside partner Carlos Alcaraz on Friday, boosting his hopes of being fit for the Games in Paris, which begin on Saturday.

The 38-year-old had sparked fears he could be forced to pull out – fears not dismissed by his coach, Carlos Moya – after cancelling practice on Thursday. And though he sported strapping on his right thigh, Nadal impressed in practice alongside the newly-crowned Wimbledon champion.

Séance totalement rassurante pour @RafaelNadal, incontestablement le meilleur des quatre. pic.twitter.com/FyPqfoodIo
— Eric Salliot (@ericsalliot) July 26, 2024

Missed practice on Thursday caused concern

Spirits were much higher on Friday than they had been 24 hours earlier, when Moya had cast doubt on whether Nadal would be fit for his singles.

“I can’t say for sure that Nadal will play,” Moya told reporters, as cited in the Evening Standard. “We want to give him 48 hours to see how he is improving and how is recovering and, well, if everything goes normal and everything goes well then on Saturday he will jump on the court.”

Nadal is due to play with Alcaraz in the doubles on Saturday, taking on Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni of Argentina. Providing he is OK for singles, the 2008 Olympic champion is due to begin his title quest against Marton Fucsovics of Hungary, with a potential clash against top seed Novak Djokovic awaiting in round two.

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