Nadal and Murray Shine at Paris Olympics; Swiatek Advances, Gauff Exits
Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray delivered standout performances at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, as Nadal advanced to the men’s doubles quarter-finals with Carlos Alcaraz and Murray staged another dramatic comeback.
In a gripping men’s doubles match, Nadal and Alcaraz, affectionately dubbed “Nadalcaraz,” overcame Dutch pair Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 10-2. Despite being knocked out of the singles by Novak Djokovic just a day prior, Nadal showcased resilience and teamwork, describing their performance as “fun” and “positive.”
Meanwhile, Andy Murray, in what may be his final Olympic appearance, saved match points for the second consecutive round. Partnering with Dan Evans, Murray and Evans triumphed over Belgium’s Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-3, 6-7 (8/10), 11-9 to secure a spot in the quarter-finals. Murray expressed his joy, saying he cried “happy tears” after the match.
In the women’s singles, Croatia’s Donna Vekic caused a major upset by defeating world number two Coco Gauff 7-6 (9/7), 6-2. The match was marred by controversy following a disputed call that led to a heated exchange between Gauff and the umpire. Gauff expressed frustration at the decision, stating she felt “cheated.”
Top seed Iga Swiatek continued her impressive run with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over China’s Wang Xiyu, extending her winning streak to 24 matches. Swiatek will next face Danielle Collins in the quarter-finals.
