The latest postcard from Rafael Nadal from Paris

The Olympic Games of Rafael Nadal only lasted three days. Or rather, his adventure in the singles draw, from which Novak Djokovic easily eliminated him, more than the 6-1, 6-4 scoreline suggests. It was a match that had the potential to make history, but instead turned out to be a pale imitation of the great rivalry that once was. Time passes for even the most seasoned athletes - and while for "Nole" (37 years old) that moment is still to come, for "Rafa" (38) the end seems closer than ever. In their 67th encounter, there was a clear gap between the two players, highlighting the exceptional talent of the Serbian, but also the physical decline of the Spaniard. However, Nadal's last dance in Paris is not yet over: the Mallorcan is still in the running with Carlos Alcaraz in the doubles, after defeating Dutch players Griekspoor and Koolhof in the round of 16 with a 10-2 victory in the super tie-break. Doubles has never been his specialty, even in his peak physical condition, yet his extensive list of achievements includes Olympic gold won with Marc Lopez in Rio 2016, alongside his singles gold in Beijing 2008. He hopes to make room in the coming days for another medal.

In Paris, Nadal appeared for what could be his last Olympic Games - and perhaps more, although he continues to refuse to talk about retirement - with his well-known and evident physical limitations. However, alongside the world number 3, he has the opportunity to give himself one last, great joy. With many pairs - including their own - not quite in sync and often ill-matched, the Olympic context allows for the possibility of a romantic ending: right on the courts of Roland Garros, where Nadal has built and immortalized his legend. It would be special to experience that emotion once again, almost twenty years after the first time, and regardless of the context; or perhaps even more so because it would be a perfect ending to close the circle with the designated heir and the new idol of the Spanish public.

At Philippe Chatrier tonight, they will face Americans and the tournament's fourth seeds, Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek. At 40 and 34 years old respectively, in their careers they have won (never together) five Grand Slam titles and have certainly spent much more time in doubles compared to Nadalcaraz; however, it is not an impossible pairing, and the odds seem to slightly favor the Iberians. At stake are two medal games that Nadal would essentially play "at home", in front of a crowd without any French pairs (Monfils and Roger-Vasselin were eliminated in the round of 16), and above all in front of those who - with a "vamos", an unusual forehand, one title and record after another - have learned to appreciate Nadal over time. To love him so much that they have adopted him as their own, despite his origins as the antagonist of Roger Federer and his elegance, which has always found fertile ground on the banks of the Seine.

When he made his debut as a professional, that enfant prodige that they talk about in circles all over the world, perpetually in sleeveless shirts, was not even (remotely) of legal age. And not yet 20 when he wrote his name for the first time on a Grand Slam trophy, in Paris, in 2005. From then on, Nadal has established an unprecedented dominance at Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen (the two historic courts of Roland Garros), and in none of the major tournaments on the circuit, repeating this feat thirteen more times over the course of eighteen years. One could list endless records and mind-boggling numbers that he has set on the Parisian clay, not just for the quantity (14 titles, with Djokovic a distant second with 10 Australian Opens, the only ones with a "star" in a Grand Slam tournament), but also for the quality. His personal record at Roland Garros is 112 wins and 4 losses, so few that they are remembered clearly: the one against the most inspired Soderling ever, in the round of 16 in 2009, then the two against Djokovic in 2015 (quarterfinals) and 2021 (semifinals), and finally the one twelve months ago against Zverev (first round). Only the 2016 and 2023 editions are missing, in which he retired due to injury: for the rest, only victories.

Most of the time, there was no contest: the other players were essentially playing for points and money. In four editions, Nadal completed the perfect journey, without conceding a single set to his opponents (in a twenty-year period that pitted him against, among others, two generational talents). The first of these was in 2008, and marked a historic moment for Nadal: the resounding 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 victory in the final against Federer was the prelude to his victory "on the road" at Wimbledon, and therefore to his ascent to the top of the ATP rankings. In 2017, he only lost 35 games throughout the tournament: a record that would be impossible to match.

"Playing against Rafa at Roland Garros is probably one of the greatest challenges that has ever existed on the tour," Djokovic once said in a press conference. "When he is inspired and makes no mistakes, you feel like he is impenetrable, like a wall": something the Serbian had probably been thinking, for example, during the unforgettable 2013 semifinal, a battle that ended 9-7 in the fifth set; or during the 2020 final, which ended - and almost never began - 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 in front of half-empty stands and with an unusual autumn breeze (due to the pandemic). The thrilling triumph of 2022, at 36 years old (a record), was the definitive seal, a kind of eternal imprimatur on his legacy. The 3-0 victory over Ruud (6-3, 6-3, 6-0) that day had all the makings of a swan song - but not in the mind of the Mallorcan, who was once again right. Today there is still room around his neck for an Olympic medal, for yet another happy ending in a career that is already legendary.