Spain sighs with its doubles pair for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Having Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz is something few countries can boast of. The Olympic event comes at very different times for the two tennis players. Rafa Nadal is 38 years old, has won it all and is in what could be his final season. Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, is 23 and destined to be one of the best tennis players of the decade. He recently won Roland Garros, his doubles partner's favourite tournament. Now he is one of the favourites for Wimbledon.

Playing doubles is not the same as playing singles. However, it is clear that with two players of this level, anything is possible. One of the people who knows Nadal best is Toni Nadal. His uncle and former coach for many years, Toni has been a key figure in the Spaniard's career. Now the coach of some of his nephew's rivals, Toni believes the pair are serious contenders for Olympic gold.

"In an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, Toni Nadal said, "I have spoken to him (Rafa Nadal) in recent days and he is much better, he wants to do well in the Olympics and we will see if we can achieve that.

The tennis player himself posted a video on his Instagram account a few days ago, showing him training at a high level for the upcoming tournament: Paris 2024. He was training at the Rafa Nadal Academy, run by Movistar and located in Manacor, where he lives. Nadal decided not to play in Wimbledon so as not to jeopardise his preparations for the Olympic tournament, in order to be in the best possible shape for his last Games.

The Olympic tournament starts on 27 July, the day after the opening ceremony. It ends on 3 August with the final. Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz could be two of the four players in that final. "They want to do well (Nadal and Alcaraz). I think they are clear candidates for the gold medal," said Toni Nadal.

It should not be forgotten that although the two Spaniards are of a high standard,they have never played together, which could be a disadvantage. "It won't be easy because they've never played together and you can always feel that a bit," added Toni Nadal.

However, Rafa Nadal has proven his quality as a doubles player on many occasions, including at Rio 2016 when he won gold with Spanish partner Marc López. However, with two players of their calibre, anything can happen. "Rafael is a great doubles player at the moment" and Alcaraz "is one of the best players in the world". Toni Nadal was keen to support his nephew but remain objective.

Rafa Nadal's determination to regain optimal physical condition in the midst of a sea of injuries is something to behold. A player who has won it all and who could retire in peace with all his commitments fulfilled is insisting on continuing to have fun and train more than ever. He has achieved so much on the pitch and in such adverse circumstances that it is clear he deserves a vote of confidence.

Paris 2024 is the goal of many of the world's top tennis players who have been hampered by career-ending injuries. Novak Djokovic is one of them. He has been battling a knee injury that threatened to rule him out of Wimbledon, but his recovery could give him a chance to compete. A third illustrious player is Andy Murray. He underwent back surgery last Saturday and was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon. The Scot, the only man to have won two Olympic titles, was due to retire in Paris in 2024.