Sergio Garcia dubs reigning Wimbledon champion as the ‘greatest’ alongside Rafael Nadal at the Olympics
Sergio Garcia praised his fellow countrymen, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz after the duo qualified for the quarterfinals of the Olympic tennis doubles event. He described them as two of the greatest players in history.
On Tuesday, May 30, Nadal and Alcaraz played incredible tennis to defeat the Dutch pair Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof 6-4, 6-7(2), 10-2 and advance to the quarterfinals. The duo's performance lit up Court Suzanne Lenglen and garnered attention on social media.
Following the Spanish duo's epic triumph, Sergio Garcia took to Instagram to praise their brilliant effort.
Two of the greatest," he wrote. "In equally great fits. Vamos!!!"
While Rafael Nadal seems to be in the twilight of his career, Carlos Alcaraz is carrying the Spanish tennis legacy forward. Last month, Alcaraz won Wimbledon by defeating Novak Djokovic 6–2, 6–2, 7–6. This was his second consecutive major championship and the fourth overall in his career. He has also become the youngest player to win a Grand Slam on all three surfaces: grass, clay, and hard court.
Nadal, on the other hand, hasn't played much tennis this year due to injuries. He participated in the French Open but was eliminated in the first round by Alexander Zverev. A couple of days ago, he lost to Djokovic in the singles event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Although he hasn't officially announced it, many believe this season will be his last on the tour.
Why is Sergio Garcia not playing at the Paris Olympics?
Sergio Garcia is not competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics as he is not among the top two ranked Spanish golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Jon Rahm and David Puig will represent Spain in Paris.
Garcia made his only Olympic appearance in 2016, where he tied for eighth place. He opted out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to COVID-19 concerns.
The 44-year-old Spaniard has had a strong season so far, ending his trophy drought by winning the LIV Golf Andalucia earlier this month. He defeated Anirban Lahiri in a playoff to secure his first-ever title on the Saudi-backed circuit. Before this, Garcia had faced three playoff defeats, two of which occurred earlier this year.
Garcia is currently fourth in the season standings, with one win, two runner-up finishes, and one other top-five finish. His team, Fireballs GC, is placed sixth in the team standings.