"Too good": Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal fight back to win Olympic doubles debut in Paris

“Rafaraz” or “Nadalcaraz”? On Saturday, the doubles duo of Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal could simply be called “too good” in their winning Olympic debut.

The Spaniards knocked out Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni of Argentina in straight sets on Saturday to move into the second round at the 2024 Paris Games.

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Nadal, 38, was featured among a pantheon of icons of French sport at the Opening Ceremony held on the River Seine the previous evening. The 22-time Grand Slam winner has lifted 14 of his major trophies at Roland Garros, the venue that is hosting the Olympic tennis competition.

True to form he returned to his winning ways in Paris, joining forces with 21-year-old Alcaraz to win 7-6 (4), 6-4.

"We played well. It has been a very tough start against a great team. They are so good, and they are used to playing together,” Nadal told press in a post-match interview.

"It has been an emotional night, an electrifying night, amazing crowd and to play with Carlos in this court has been so special. Just super happy about the victory and to give us the chance to keep going.”

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Playing under the closed roof on Chatrier, Alcaraz and Nadal claimed a tight opening set in a tiebreaker, with the more experienced Nadal taking the reins when Alcaraz’s nerves threatened to derail him. After trailing 0-3 in the second set, the Spanish duo rallied to win six of the next seven games amid chants of “Rafa, Rafa!” and clinch the victory.

The Spaniards await the winner of Netherlands’ Wesley Koolhof and Tallon Griekspoor or Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan and Marton Fucsovics.

Nadal has won the gold medal in men’s singles at the 2008 Beijing Games, and took home men’s doubles gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games partnering Marc Lopez.

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World No. 3 Alcaraz, who also won his first-round singles match earlier in the day, is competing at the Olympics for the first time. He arrived in Paris fresh off major victories at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, but said it was “a dream come true” to team up with Nadal in doubles.

"It was a dream come true, honestly. I dreamed about playing my Olympic Games, my debut in the Olympic Games, but playing with Rafa it was even more special,” Alcaraz told press afterward.

“I'm really happy about the level we played, I'm really happy to give us the chance to keep going, to play another round. I think our level is good enough to believe and hopefully keep going."

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