Of the big three, Nadal-Federer-Djokovic, it was the Spaniard who had so far won Olympic gold in singles, won in Beijing in 2008. The Swiss had only won medals in doubles (gold in Beijing and silver in London in 2012), while Djokovic had only bronze from Beijing. That changed in Paris, because the Serb fulfilled his greatest dream and finally won the Olympic tournament, and along the way eliminated Nadal, among others, by defeating him 6:1, 6:4 in the second round.
Nadal and Alcaraz were close, but with their doubles experience they had no chance
Nadal could still count on a medal in doubles, and he wasn't that far from it. He and Carlos Alcaraz made it all the way to the quarterfinals, which put them one win away from the medal zone. Unfortunately for them, the American pair of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram proved too strong. Individually, they would probably both have lost to the Spaniards, but Krajicek and Ram are top doubles players, and their experience in doubles gave them a 6:2, 6:4 victory (they ultimately won silver medals).
Nadal Withdraws from US Open. We Know When He'll Play Next
For fans, Nadal's future was a mystery. Unlike Andy Murray, he did not end his career after the Olympics, so fans could hope to see him at the US Open, which starts on August 26. The Spaniard himself dispelled any doubts in this matter. Unfortunately, he dispelled them.
Nadal announced on social media that he is withdrawing from the US Open. “I will miss those electrifying night sessions in New York, but at the moment I don't think I will be able to give 100 percent on the court. I would like to thank my American fans in particular, see you next time,” the Spaniard wrote on X. He also announced that his next appearance will be at the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin, where he will be part of the European team. This means that Nadal will not be seen in action until September 20, 2024.