Rafael Nadal of Spain waves goodbye to the spectators after he and Carlos Alcaraz lose to Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the USA in the men's doubles tennis quarterfinals at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, July 31, 2024. /CFP
When it was over, when Rafael Nadal's Paris Games – and his Olympic career – ended with a doubles loss in a stadium central to his legacy because it hosts the French Open, which he's won a record 14 times, he soaked in the applause accompanying his exit from the red clay.
Was a 6-2, 6-4 defeat alongside Carlos Alcaraz to the fourth-seeded American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram actually Nadal's last match at Roland Garros?
"Maybe," he said later in the evening. "I don't know."
Was it his last match anywhere? There's no way for anyone to be sure if he himself isn't.
After collecting his equipment from the sideline, the 38-year-old Spaniard looked around the place that has meant so much to him during his time in tennis and waved to the spectators, who were bidding adieu with the latest in a series of standing ovations for him during these Olympics. Nadal paused before stepping through the doorway that leads toward the locker room and Alcaraz placed his right hand on his partner's left shoulder.
"If that's the last time (here) for me, it's an unforgettable feeling and emotions. They give me the love and support every single second that I have been on court," Nadal said about the spectators, who clapped and yelled and sang for him throughout the quarterfinal match.
"It's super, super special to feel that, particularly in this place. So I can't really thank all of them enough for giving me the feelings I have inside myself and the emotions they make me feel," he continued. "I don't know what's going to happen in the future, but if that's the last time, I enjoyed it."
The match was played at Court Philippe Chatrier, where French Open finals are contested and where he accumulated more than half of his haul of 22 Grand Slam trophies.
"For me," Ram said, "Rafa at Roland Garros is the ultimate."
Nadal has not officially confirmed any details of a possible retirement, but given his age and recent history of injuries – including hip surgery in 2023 – it seems safe to say he probably does not have much left in him. He said Wednesday he doubts he will compete in the U.S. Open, which starts in late August.
"I need some time (to decide), but for me, (it) looks difficult," Nadal said.