In what may be his final appearance at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal, alongside Spanish teammate Carlos Alcaraz, was eliminated from the doubles tournament in the quarterfinals by American pair Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek. Despite Nadal’s impressive history with 14 French Open titles, he and Alcaraz were defeated in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
After the match, Ram emphasized the importance of teamwork in their victory. “It’s about teamwork and getting ourselves and our partner in the right state of mind,” Ram told Yahoo Sports. “While skills like serving and net play are crucial, a lot of it comes down to how well we support each other.”
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic is making strides toward his first Olympic gold medal, a notable absence from his career achievements. Djokovic secured a place in the quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Germany’s Dominik Koepfer. He will next face Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, against whom Djokovic has a strong record, winning their last 10 encounters. Their most memorable match was the 2021 French Open final, where Djokovic overcame a 2-0 deficit to claim the title.
As the Olympic tennis events progress, here’s a snapshot of how the American players are faring:
– Taylor Fritz: Ranked No. 12 in the world and the top American player, Fritz was eliminated by Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the third round. Musetti, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals last month, defeated Fritz 6-4, 7-5.
– Tommy Paul: The last American remaining in men’s singles, Paul advanced to the quarterfinals with a straight-sets win over France’s Corentin Moutet. Paul’s next challenge is facing Alcaraz, who recently won the French Open and Wimbledon. Alcaraz defeated Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-2 to secure his place in the quarters. Paul will need a strong performance to overcome the formidable Alcaraz.
