In the last few days, there has been speculation about whether Rafael Nadal will be fit to compete in the Paris Olympics, but a video of the 38-year-old training with Carlos Alcaraz has given his fans some hope.
The excitement in the tennis world has been palpable since Nadal and Alcaraz announced their intention to play doubles together. Their partnership is set to be one of the most high-profile ever seen in tennis.
Nadal is also in the draw for the singles at the Paris Olympics, where he could face his old rival, Novak Djokovic, in the second round. The 14-time French Open champion must overcome Marton Fucsovics in the opening round to make that a reality.
However, fans were left panicked when Nadal canceled his practice sessions on Thursday at the Paris Olympics. Carlos Moya said this was due to a thigh issue and that he could not guarantee Nadal would play in the Olympics.
Of course, playing singles is a lot more physically demanding than doubles, meaning another option is for Nadal not to compete in doubles and focus on trying to win a gold medal alongside his four-time Grand Slam-winning partner.
Some on social media have also argued that Nadal could be more likely to withdraw from the singles if he has a slight injury due to the prospect of facing Djokovic in the second round, but this theory does seem slightly far-fetched.
The possibility of Nadal playing in at least the doubles seems to be higher after the video that was released of the 22-time major champion practicing, and also due to the reports of how the practice session went.
In the video below, Nadal is warming up alongside Alcaraz. It is unclear from the footage if they are practicing with another doubles team, other singles players in Paris, or just members of their teams.
The intensity of the hitting is not very high in the clip. Nadal hits some forehands and backhands, but he does so while remaining rooted to the spot, not putting any physical strain on his body.
Nadal's practice at any level will be encouraging to his supporters. But they will be even more heartened to hear that the legendary Spaniard played a practice set with Alcaraz after hitting and getting warmed up.
It has been reported Nadal and Alcaraz won the practice set they played 6-3. Just one day after fears about whether the 38-year-old would be able to compete in Paris, that is a really good sign for him and the tournament.
Admittedly, Nadal usually practices more intensely than most players, meaning it is important not to overhype this development too much. However, it is undoubtedly still a positive sign that will give the event officials hope that a huge figure in the tennis world will be able to play.
At this point, whether Nadal feels he can play in the singles is uncertain. For now, his chances of playing in the doubles with Alcaraz look to have been bolstered by this practice session.
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