Americans Oust Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in Shock Tennis Doubles Upset

The American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram likely ended Rafael Nadal ’s Olympic career on Wednesday, upsetting the Spanish tennis legend and rising star Carlos Alcaraz in a tense doubles match. The quarter-final loss came a day after Nadal was eliminated from the singles tournament with a defeat to his longtime rival, Novak Djokovic, the only other competition Nadal was registered for in Paris. Nadal, 38, has not announced whether he plans to continue playing through the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, but, given his age and recent injuries, many have estimated it’s unlikely he’ll be playing professionally at the highest level four summers from now. Nadal and Alcaraz, 21, shared an embrace after their defeat. The American win means Krajicek and Ram, who were designated as the fourth seed pre-tournament, will advance to the doubles’ semi-finals. That guarantees they will have a chance to play for at least a bronze medal.

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