By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Austin Krajiecek's ace off the sideline ended Team USA's 6-2, 6-4 Olympic quarterfinal win over Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal in what may well be the king of clay's last appearance at Roland Garros.
Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty
Wearing an Old Glory wristband, Austin Krajicek flashed a firework ace off the sideline ending Rafael Nadal’s glorious Olympic career.
Team USA’s Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram led from start to finish defeating Spanish Dream Team Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4 to power into the Paris Olympics semifinals.
More: Nadal on Retirement Decision
The veteran Americans dashed the Nadalcaraz Dream team hopes swarming the net, playing exquisite-angled volleys and surviving break-point pressure in the final game before Krajicek’s ace lashed the line closing a 98-minute triumph.
Ram and Krajicek will play Czechia’s Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek for a spot in the gold-medal match.
When it was done, King of Clay Nadal, who said he will make his retirement decision after these Olympics, stood and waved to every corner of the corner acknowledging the rousing standing ovation from the packed and festive crowd that chanted his name and times throughout the match and tried to rouse the Spanish side in the final game.
The 38-year-old Nadal, who mastered 14 championship Sundays on Court Philippe Chatrier, walked off the salmon-colored stage on this Wednesday evening giving the same warrior effort he exuded throughout his glorious career.
In that moment, the appreciative audience shared the love with the iconic athlete and Nadal was touched by the tribute.
“I always say the same, that I feel very well supported and loved around the world,” Nadal said. “Here especially, the place where I had the most success in my career. The place where I have the most special record, so it’s amazing for me to feel the support of all these people, even today, in the toughest moments.
"To come back home with this support and this love from the people, it’s something very, very special. Thanks to Carlos for this amazing week, even if the way we finished is not the way that we dreamed about. We tried hard, we had fun, and I think we enjoyed an amazing experience together for a lifetime, because it’s the only possibility to enjoy this together in the Olympic Games."
It’s a bitter disappointment for Alcaraz, who said winning a gold medal alongside his hero was his main mission for 2024, and for Nadal, who may well have taken his final curtain call on the Court Chatrier he dominated.
Still, Alcaraz called the electric Nadalcaraz pairing a special moment and learning experience.
“Honestly I’m a bit disappointed right now,” said Alcaraz. “It was a really special moment playing with Rafa, I think we enjoyed every single second out there.
“We played three matches, we enjoyed all of them, today a bit less, but honestly it was an unbelievable experience for me. I am pretty sure that I learned a lot, being alongside [Rafa], learning from him how to deal with some situations."
Though this is likely the end of Nadalcaraz, Alcaraz said Nadal's competitive spirit is energizing.
"His spirit has been amazing and obviously the experience in the crowd and on the court has been unbelievable," Alcaraz said. "I have to say thank you to him for giving me the opportunity to play with him.”
Nadal remains on the entry list for both next month's US Open and the Laver Cup in September, so we could well see him on court again, but perhaps this was his final appearance at Roland Garros where his legacy lives on with 14 singles championships, a lifetime of thrills and the larger than life steel statue of the king of clay unleashing his fierce forehand.
Krajicek and Ram, notably nicknamed "Rampras" for his signature service motion based on Hall of Famer Pete Sampras stylish serve, are the fifth American team to reach the men’s doubles semifinals since tennis returned to the Olympics at Seoul in 1988.
The left-handed Krajicek joins the Bryan Brothers, who sat in the support box for this match, in becoming the third American man since 1988 to reach the men’s doubles semifinals at the Olympics on multiple occasions.
The ITF rule of inserting doubles players into the singles draws as substitutions has caused controversy early in these Paris Olympics after Novak Djokovic destroyed Matthew Ebden, who was playing his first singles match in about two years.
Tonight, we saw dynamic doubles play from Krajicek and Ram, who attacked from the opening ball to take apart two of the greatest champions of the Open Era.
It’s easy to sit there and say since Krajicek and Ram are the No. 4-seeded team and highly more experienced, this result is expected.
At the same time, consider the massive clay challenge the Americans faced.
The 34-year-old Krajicek and 40-year-old Ram walked out on Court Philppe Chatrier staring down 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal and reigning Roland Garros champion and four-time major title holder Alcaraz before a packed and vocal crowd and never shrunk from the white-hot glare of this international spotlight.
Doubles specialist is often seen as a pejorative label at any level of the sport.
On this night, Krajicek and Ram were doubles artists carving up the court and leaving two legends lagging a little behind at times in net exchanges.
Krajicek won a rapid-fire reflex volley duel against Alcaraz as the American duo broke Nadal’s serve to start the match.
In a superb start, Krajicek threw down a heavy first serve and Ram angled off an acute backhand drop volley backing up the break with a love hold for 2-0.
Knocked to the seat of his shorts by a head-high backhand bullet return from Ram, Nadal arose and, a few points later, knocked off the winning volley as Alcaraz held in game three.
Ram sent a swinging serve down the T navigating a tricky hold to extend Team USA’s lead to 3-1.
Embed from Getty Images
Conferring between points, Nadal and Alcaraz were trying to figure out the best course of attack against the veteran doubles specialists. Serving at 2-4, Alcaraz saved a break point blistering a forehand that turned the Babolat racket in Krajicek’s hand.
Still, Krajicek and Ram were holding their ground at net often winning the volley exchanges. Trying to target the Americans’ backhand wings, Alcaraz spit up successive double faults as the USA broke again for 5-2.
Blocking some solid forehand volleys, Ram moved in and hit a forehand drive volley. Alcaraz’s reply skipped off the top of the net and dropped wide as the Americans wrapped up a confident opener in which they never trailed.
Ram, who partnered Venus Williams to the Olympic silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, played some shrewd sharp angled volleys.
It’s rare for the 38-year-old Nadal to face an older opponent on court these days. But the 40-year-old Ram's anticipation is still sharp, he rarely over-plays volley and dug out some tremendous low-angled volleys tonight.
Showing his all-court skills, Krajicek jumped all over a net-cord shot and slid a forehand down the middle giving the USA triple break point on the Wimbledon champion’s serve in the seventh game.
In the opening set, Ram did damage with his one-handed backhand return. Running around the backhand, Ram roped a forehand that seemed to catch the sideline.
Both Alcaraz and Nadal got down in a combined crouch inspecting the mark and imploring the chair umpire to see the space they saw. The chair umpire reviewed the mark, ruled the return good and Team USA had the break and a 4-3 lead.
The synergy between the American side was clear in their unified movement. Both men closed with conviction on successive points capping a Ram hold for 5-3.
Former world No. 1 Nadal showed his class under extreme duress withstanding a deuce hold by sliding an ace out wide to hold in the ninth game. The Spanish side shifted the pressure squarely on Krajicek’s shoulders to serve it out as roaring fans waved flags of support.
Tension spiked as Krajicek double faulted to open the 10th game. Reading the T serve, Alcaraz ripped a clean forehand return winner as Spain seized double break point, prompting chants of “Ole! Ole! Ole!”
The left-handed Krajicek came up with a pair of pulsating serves to erase both break points and draw even at deuce. Krajicek saved a third break point with a serve down the middle.
On match point, Nadal knocked a backhand down the middle provoking a netted volley from Ram to keep Spain alive.
Credit Krajicek, whose shirt and American flag wristband were soaked with sweat, for keeping cool. On his second match point, Krajicek kissed an ace off the sideline to bring an anti-climactic end to a stirring win.
All four players paused for a moment before the chair umpire confirmed the ace.
As fans showered Nadal with an ovation, he walked off with a wave.
On a night in which the 40-year-old Ram’s parents and Nadal’s 21-month old son Rafa Jr. were both in support box, fans saw a champion for the ages possibly go out on his favorite stage.
As they walked off together, the king of clay leading the way, Alcaraz put his right hand on Nadal’s shoulder staying within touching distance until they disappeared into the tunnel Grand Slam champions of past and present.
Though Nadalcaraz is out, Alcaraz will keep Spain's gold-medal dreams alive in singles where he faces American Tommy Paul in a rematch of their Wimbledon quarterfinal played earlier this month.
Two-time Olympic gold-medal champion Nadal will be watching and cheering his partner and the rest of the Spanish squad.
“We enjoyed it, and we take that forever," Nadal said of Nadalcaraz. "I wish him all the very best for the singles, and the rest of the Spanish team, [Sara Sorribes Tormo and Cristina Bucsa] still have doubles, so hopefully Carlos or the girls are gonna bring a medal back home.”