Rafael Nadal will skip Wimbledon 2024 to focus on the Olympics, teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz in doubles. Spain’s Olympic captain, David Ferrer, confirmed this on Wednesday. Last month, Nadal mentioned that transitioning from clay to grass wouldn’t be good for his body.
Fans with Wimbledon tickets are undoubtedly disappointed. The All-England Club might not see Nadal again, as he is expected to retire this year. His last match at Wimbledon was a quarter-final win against Taylor Fritz in 2022, followed by a withdrawal due to an abdominal injury.
Carlos Alcaraz, set for his Olympic debut in Paris, expressed his excitement last summer, saying, “Playing with Nadal is a dream come true.” Nadal, prioritizing the French Open and Olympics after a year off due to hip problems, lost in the first round at Roland Garros to Alexander Zverev but looks forward to another shot on the Paris clay.
Nadal has won the French Open 14 times and has two Olympic golds: in singles (Beijing 2008) and doubles with Marc López (Rio 2016). Nadal and Alcaraz, who have never played together, are expected to be a major draw at the Olympics. Alcaraz, fresh from his third Grand Slam win at Roland Garros, is a favorite for singles gold.
Spain’s Olympic team also includes Pablo Carreno Busta, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and world No. 2 doubles player Marcel Granollers. The Paris Olympics run from July 26 to August 11.
Murray’s Olympic Doubt
Andy Murray may skip the Paris Olympics if not selected for doubles. The three-time Grand Slam winner and two-time Olympic champion is eligible for singles due to his past victories. However, Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski might be Britain’s doubles representatives.
Murray, after losing to Marcos Giron at the Stuttgart Open, said, “I’m not sure about doubles yet. My body struggled on clay last month. I might not go just for singles.” Murray and Daniel Evans lost in the first round of French Open doubles.
The Olympic tennis tournament at Roland Garros runs from July 27 to August 4.
Sabalenka Aims for Wimbledon Glory
After a quarter-final exit at Roland Garros, Aryna Sabalenka is set on winning Wimbledon. Sabalenka, who suffered from a stomach bug before her loss to Mirra Andreeva in Paris, took a beach vacation to recharge.
“Vitamin sea helped,” she posted on Instagram, sharing her beach photos. Refreshed, she returned to the grass courts, aiming to be the first player since Serena Williams in 2015 to win both the Australian Open and Wimbledon in the same year.
Before Wimbledon, Sabalenka will compete in the eco trans-Ladies Open in Berlin.
For fans with Wimbledon tickets, the men’s and women’s draws will be exciting, but players face a relentless season, with the Olympics and the US Open following Wimbledon.
Wimbledon Prize Money Soars
Wimbledon 2024 will feature a record £50m prize fund, with singles champions earning £2.7m each. This is an increase from last year’s £2.35m. The wheelchair events’ prize money also rose by 35%, reaching £1m. First-round singles losers will receive £60,000, up by £5,000.
Overall, the total prize money is up 11.9% from last year, doubling from £25m in 2014. Qualifying competition payouts will increase by 14.9%.
