Carlos Alcaraz

The Spaniards saw off Argentinian pair Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in straight sets 7-6 (6-4) 6-4 in one hour and 49 minutes on Saturday.

Alcaraz, who began the day with a victory in his singles debut, made a nervy start as he dropped his first serve, but Nadal soon helped to settle the nerves.

They got the vital break in the next game, though there was little to separate the teams after that with a tie-break necessary to put Alcaraz and Nadal in front.

Gonzalez and Molteni rallied in the second set, racing into a 3-0 lead, but could not prevent a fight back as Alcaraz and Nadal won the next three games.

After another vital break for the Spaniards at 4-4, Nadal then served out the match to set up a meeting with either Dutch pair Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof or Marton Fucsovics and Fabian Marozsan of Hungary.

Data Debrief: Living up to expectations

It is the match-up that everybody was waiting for at the Olympics, and despite a sluggish start, Alcaraz and Nadal soon turned on the style.

They hit 17 winners, and even though Alcaraz's first service game was not his usual best, they went on to win 46 of their 64 service points (72%).

The Spanish duo were pushed all the way by Dutch pairing Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof, but emerged 6-4 6-6 (2-7) 10-2 victors on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

Nadal exited the singles following a defeat to long-time rival Novak Djokovic, but started impressively as the pairs exchanged rallies in the opening exchanges.

But a break in the seventh game for the Spaniards saw them assume full control of the first set, with Alcaraz serving out the final game to hold the early advantage. 

However, Griekspoor and Koolhof would respond, with the Dutch pair able to dominate a second-set tiebreak, taking the encounter to an exciting conclusion. 

But Nadal and Alcaraz would roar to victory, securing their passage to the next stage in the deciding third set after Griekspoor slammed an Alcaraz serve into the net. 

Next up for the all-star Spanish duo is a clash with fourth-seeded Americans Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.

Data Debrief: Nadalcaraz continue to shine

The combination of youth and experience worked to its full effect at Roland-Garros, with Nadal and Alcaraz once again showing their gold medal credentials. 

Nadal and Alcaraz saved all three of the break points they faced, ending the contest by winning 81% of their first serve points. 

The reigning French Open champion was pushed all the way in his straight-sets victory, getting a 6-1 7-6 (7-3) win in one hour and 48 minutes.

It looked like it was going to be another routine match for the Spaniard at Roland-Garros as he raced into a 3-0 lead in the first set, and even after Griekspoor pulled one back, Alcaraz's aggressive approach saw him take the lead.

The Dutchman found his fight in the second, though, with the players matching each other stride for stride. Griekspoor threatened to take the set with a break, but Alcaraz successfully defended it before forcing a tie-break.

Alcaraz then turned on the style when he needed it most, winning the last four points in a row to book his place in the next round, where he will face Roman Safiullin.

Data Debrief: Alcaraz gets the job done

Unlike his opening round, when he cruised through with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Lebanon's Hady Habib, Alcaraz was made to work hard for this victory.

Despite the stern test, Alcaraz did not drop a single service game, successfully saving two break points.

He is back in action on Tuesday when he will once again pair up with Rafael Nadal in the men's doubles. 

The Spaniard wasted no time booking his place in the gold-medal match, cruising through 6-1 6-1 in just 76 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Auger-Aliassime won the first game on his serve, but it was all one-way traffic after that, as Alcaraz won the next six in a row to take the first set in just 40 minutes.

Like in the first, the Canadian won his opening service game in the second set, but he had no answers as Alcaraz produced one of his best performances of the season.

He did not face a single break point, winning the last five games in a row as he successfully earned two breaks of his own, dragging Auger-Aliassime from corner to corner with dynamic play.

Alcaraz, who has already won the French Open and Wimbledon this year, is now guaranteed a medal, and he will face either Novak Djokovic or Lorenzo Musetti in the showpiece.

Data Debrief: Is there any stopping Alcaraz?

It has already been a banner year for the 21-year-old, with two grand slams under his belt, and if he clinches gold, he will become just the second player alongside Rafael Nadal (2008) to win the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics in the same year.

He is also the second-youngest men's singles finalist at the Olympic Games in tennis history, older only than Robert LeRoy in St. Louis 1904, and the youngest since tennis returned to the Olympics schedule in 1988. 

Alcaraz has won each of his last 12 matches and is now just one match away from writing even more history. 

The Spaniard, who overcame fitness concerns in his win over Tallon Griekspoor in the last round, dominated on Court Suzanne Lenglen to win 6-4 6-2 in an hour and a half.

Alcaraz made his intent clear from the start, breaking Safiullin twice in the opening three games to race into the lead.

The Russian regained his footing shortly after to make it a more even affair, but he managed just one break as Alcaraz cruised through the first set.

The 21-year-old made a similar start in the second and twice threatened to take a three-game advantage over his opponent, but Safiullin successfully defended two break points to make it 3-2.

He could not do the same on his next serve though, and Alcaraz won the last three games in a row to set up a meeting with the United States' Tommy Paul in the last eight.

Data Debrief: Just no stopping Alcaraz

Alcaraz has reached the quarter-finals in every high-profile tournament he has entered, winning the last two such events at the French Open (at Roland-Garros) and Wimbledon.

He is also the youngest player to make the men's singles quarter-finals at the Olympics since Novak Djokovic in Beijing 2008.

The Spaniard – who captured his fourth grand slam title at Wimbledon earlier this month – needed just one hour and 12 minutes to overcome Habib, who is ranked 275th in the world by the ATP.

Alcaraz had to save break point in the very first game but immediately set about putting Habib under pressure from there, getting a quickfire break to take control of the opener.

Habib hit just three winners throughout the first set, with 16 unforced errors costing him as Alcaraz served with supreme confidence, only dropping one point in a span of six games on his own serve.

Another break in the first game of the second set had Alcaraz truly in charge, and he gave nothing away from then on as he eased to victory.

He will face Britain's Cameron Norrie or the Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor in the second round, with the duo yet to face off due to rain suspending play on the outside courts.

Data Debrief: Alcaraz goes from strength to strength

Returning to the scene of last month's French Open triumph, Alcaraz was barely troubled as he improved his record at clay-court events to 12-3 for the year.

He was far too good for Habib on Saturday, slamming 26 winners to his opponents' five and causing problems whenever he was able to get to the net, where he won 13 of 16 points on approach (81%).

He will return to the court to partner Rafael Nadal in the doubles later on Sunday, versus Argentine duo Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.

The Spaniard looked to be heading for a decider until a brilliant second-set comeback saw him win 6-3 7-6 (9-7) on Court Philippe Chatrier in two hours and one minute.

Alcaraz was looking to quickly put his disappointing doubles exit with Rafael Nadal behind him and successfully defended two break points in the opening game.

While Paul matched him stride for stride during the opening stages, the Spaniard got the all-important break in game six to edge in front before taking the first set.

His momentum soon faltered though, as the American raced into a 3-0 lead in the second and looked to be cruising.

Alcaraz's fighting spirit soon came to the fore as he got another vital break during a three-game winning run to level the score and eventually, force a tie-break.

The 21-year-old then rounded off an incredible comeback by saving a set point during the tie-break and winning the final three points.

He will play either Norway's Casper Ruud or Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals.

Data Debrief: Alcaraz stays on track for gold

Alcaraz is the fourth-youngest player to reach the men's singles semi-finals at the Olympics since 1988 (21 years and 83 days), and the youngest since Novak Djokovic in Beijing 2008.

He has now won his last 11 matches on the bounce, winning each of the last four in straight sets.

Alcaraz beat Paul en route to his Wimbledon title last month, and he will be hoping that is a good omen as he chases a gold medal in his debut Olympics. 

Alcaraz defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-1 on Friday to take his place in the final of the men's singles, which will take place at Roland-Garros on Sunday.

And standing in the way of the Spaniard, who won the French Open earlier this year, and a gold medal is 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic.

Like Alcaraz, the 37-year-old Djokovic is into his maiden final at the Games, having previously claimed bronze in 2008.

Alcaraz, who beat Djokovic in the final of Wimbledon in July, would be the youngest-ever champion of the men's singles should he triumph. He is the second-youngest male to have made it into a singles final at the Games, after Robert LeRoy in 1904.

"It's going to be a really special moment for me, in my life, in my career, so I'm going to try and enjoy this moment, because it’s going to be really difficult," Alcaraz said.

"It's going to be difficult, but it’s going to be special.

"I will try to be focused on myself and try not to hear all this, all the fans, all the people that say 'I'm going to win'.

"I just want to give 100% my best tennis and hopefully I reach my goal to get the gold."

Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, conceded he was simply second best.

He said: "I just couldn't find a way to be comfortable in any pattern, any position.

"Whether it was trying to dominate the forehand cross-court or change of direction, the forehand inside-out, the backhand side.

"Every aspect. The movement. The defence. I was dominated.

"He's improved a lot, every time we've played. I don't have the solutions right now."

Auger-Aliassime swiftly shrugged off his disappointment by winning the bronze medal match alongside Gabriela Dabrowski in the mixed doubles.

Their success against Dutch pair Wesley Koolhof and Demi Schuurs marked Canada's first medal in the mixed doubles.

The Spaniard won in straight sets, 6-1 7-6 (7-3), but had to take a medical timeout partway through the second to receive treatment.

After a comfortable first set, Alcaraz was then pushed all the way to make it into the third round in the men's singles, while he is also competing in the men's doubles with Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz was quick to downplay the injury, noting how he has not let it affect him in recent tournaments, including his Wimbledon win earlier this month.

"It's a problem I've been having since the last few tournaments and I have to pay special attention to that area," Alcaraz said after the match.

"Tennis players have a very demanding schedule, you play more matches and problems arise, but the good thing is that I know how to deal with those discomforts and how to recover.

"It's an area where I've been feeling it for several months, but I've been able to play perfectly in the last few tournaments and this one will be no different."

Alcaraz and Nadal will play Netherlands' Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof in doubles on Tuesday before the 21-year-old's third-round meeting with Roman Safiullin later in the week. 

Djokovic, having seen Alcaraz dispatch Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets, made light work of Lorenzo Musetti in Friday's second semi-final to qualify for an Olympics singles showpiece match for the first time in his incredible career.

The Serbian won 6-4 6-2 at Roland-Garros, where he also defeated Rafael Nadal en route to reaching the final.

Now, Nadal's compatriot Alcaraz stands in between Djokovic and his first gold medal, who previously claimed bronze at the 2008 Games.

Djokovic will also have revenge on his mind, with Sunday's showdown coming just three weeks after the 37-year-old lost to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.

The pair's head-to-head record stands at three wins apiece.

Data Debrief: Three of a kind

In reaching his maiden Olympic gold medal match, Djokovic became just the third player to reach the singles final after turning 30 since tennis returned to the Games in 1988.

It is quite the illustrious list, with Djokovic joining Serena Williams and his old foe Roger Federer, who both reached the respective men's and women's finals in London 12 years ago.

Should he triumph against Alcaraz, Djokovic will become just the fifth player to complete a career golden slam, which includes winning all four grand slams and a singles Olympic gold medal.

Only Stefanie Graf, Andre Agassi, Nadal and Williams have previously done so.

The 24-time major champion defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-2 to ensure he would walk away from Roland-Garros with a medal.

Djokovic will now face number two seed Carlos Alcaraz in a rematch of last month's Wimbledon final.

The 37-year-old was aware of the enormity of the achievement in going one step further, having suffered semi-final losses to Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev in three previous Olympic semi-finals, though he did claim bronze at the Beijing Games in 2008.

"I have been waiting for this for almost 20 years," Djokovic said in his on-court interview.

"I've played four Olympic Games, this is my fifth and '’ve never passed the semi-finals. I lost three semi-finals in my first four Olympic Games.

"I managed to overcome this big hurdle. I must be honest and say that I was thinking about all the semi-finals that I lost."

The Serbian had to overcome injury concerns after his quarter-final match against Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Djokovic was more encouraged by his mental strength against an opponent that has made great strides on the ATP Tour this season in Musetti.

"I just tried to be in the present moment. I played against a player who is in great form and really came out firing from both ends," Djokovic added.

"I just tried to maintain the focus and do what I have to do."

Sunday's final between Djokovic and Alcaraz will be the seventh meeting between the pair, with the head-to-head currently at three apiece.

And with three grand slams already down in 2024, the Paris Olympics provides that extra shot in the arm as players across the board gun for gold.

The big names are descending on Roland-Garros for a second time this season, with the famous venue of the French Open playing host to the Olympic tennis tournament.

Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal, two dominant forces on the Parisian clay, will be in action, while Andy Murray, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, is making his final appearance before retirement.

Novak Djokovic is also set to feature, while Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff will play at their first Olympics, though Jannik Sinner, the men's world number one, has had to withdraw due to illness.

Here, we outline the main storylines ahead of the tournament starting on Saturday.

Murray's last hurrah

This will be it for Murray. The three-time grand slam champion, and former world number one, is finally bowing out.

The 37-year-old, who won gold in the men's singles at London 2012 and Rio 2016, as well as claiming silver in the mixed doubles at the first of those Games, confirmed his impending retirement on Tuesday.

Murray is the only man with multiple singles gold medals since tennis returned to the Olympic program in 1988. He will become the first British athlete to appear in four singles draws at the Games, too.

He is one of just eight players in the Open Era to have won 200 or more matches at majors, while only Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer have won more ATP 1000 matches than Murray since the format's introduction in 1990.

The Scot will bow out as the British player with the most singles titles on the ATP Tour in the Open Era (46).

The Dream Team

There are so many stars for fans in Paris to take in, but arguably the main attraction will be the doubles dream team of Nadal and his heir apparent Alcaraz, who are pairing up to represent Spain.

This team counts the record champion at Roland-Garros (14) in Nadal, and the reigning champion in Alcaraz.

While four-time major champion Alcaraz is featuring at his first Olympics, Nadal is a veteran campaigner at the Games, having scooped gold in the singles at Beijing 2008 and in the doubles in Rio eight years ago.

Nadal is one of two players to secure an Olympic gold in both the men's singles and doubles since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988, alongside Nicolas Massu (both at Athens 2004).

Like Murray, Nadal is set to bow out in the coming months, and what better way to go than winning gold with the player who could well go on to match his feats?

Nadal's great rival Djokovic, meanwhile, will surely also be playing at his final Games.

Djokovic will become the player with the joint-most appearances in men's singles at the Olympics (five, equalling Yen Hsun Lu) since the sport returned to the Games 36 years ago.

The Serbian is the player with the most matches played (19) and joint-most matches won (13, level with Federer) at the Olympics since 1988.

Swiatek's Roland-Garros return

Women's world number one Swiatek loves Roland-Garros just as much as Nadal does.

Four of the 23-year-old's five grand slam titles have come at the venue, including her success earlier this year. In fact, Swiatek has won four of the past five French Open titles.

Swiatek lost in the second round in Tokyo, but given her dominance in Paris in recent years, she has to be considered the favourite in the women's draw.

Indeed, only Margaret Court (95.2%) has a higher winning percentage at Roland-Garros than Swiatek (94.6%) in the Open Era.

That being said, the incumbent world number one has won gold at the Olympics only twice: Steffi Graf in 1988 and Justine Henin in 2004.

Aryna Sabalenka rivalled Swiatek throughout this season's clay-court swing. The Belarusian, who will be competing under a neutral banner, lost in the second round in Tokyo three years ago. 

Gauff flying the flag

There was heartbreak for Gauff three years ago, as she missed out on what would have been her maiden Games after testing positive for COVID-19.

All being well, that won't be an issue this time around, and the 20-year-old will have the honour of bearing the United States flag at Friday's opening ceremony. She will be the first tennis player to fly the flag for Team USA.

Gauff, the world number two, has reached the quarters, the final, the quarters again and the semi-finals in her last four appearances at the French Open - will she finally break her Roland-Garros duck?

If she does, then Gauff will join Graf (1988), Jennifer Capriati (1992), Lindsay Davenport (1996) and Venus Williams (2000) as the women to win Olympic gold before turning 21.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka, who lit the torch in Tokyo, should not be discounted either.

She is looking to become the second Japanese player to secure an Olympic medal since tennis' return to the Games, after Kei Nishikori's bronze in Rio.

Alcaraz triumphed at Wimbledon for a second time against Novak Djokovic earlier this month, adding to the French Open title he claimed in June and becoming the youngest player to win major titles on three different surfaces (also the US Open in 2022).

Nadal, a 22-time grand slam winner, has struggled with injuries over the past two years but reached his first final since 2022 at the Swedish Open last week, only to fall to straight-sets defeat to Nuno Borges in Bastad. 

The competition gets under way on July 27 at Roland Garros, but Nadal was cautious about Spain's chances of winning a gold medal.

"I understand a little bit the morbid illusion of seeing us play together but let's not think that this translates into success, I think it's a mistake," Nadal said.

"Carlos hasn't played many doubles and I haven't played many doubles or many singles lately."

"We are going to do our best to try, at least, to leave with the peace of mind of having done everything possible to get where we can get (but) obviously, we have not been able to prepare together for a tournament like this, where there are other doubles teams that have been preparing."

Nadal has previously triumphed in both the singles and doubles events at the Games, winning gold at Beijing in 2008 and in Rio eight years later. 

Having missed the London and Tokyo Games due to injury, the Spaniard suggested the Olympics were even more special than grand slams. 

"Unfortunately I have missed Tokyo and London due to injury and it is something that has hurt me more than missing Grand Slams," he said.

"In the end they are unique experiences, of which there are few in the world, in one's career.

"The others are very important tournaments for us, but in the end we experience them every year, and well, I value being here very much."

Alcaraz arrives in Paris full of confidence after claiming his first French Open title a month ago. 

The 21-year-old believes his success at Roland Garros will be to his advantage heading into the Games. 

"I have not had the opportunity to play many doubles tournaments, but obviously having the illusion of returning to Roland Garros, to these courts that I have always enjoyed playing... makes it easier," he said. 

"We also have days of training, individually and doubles to adapt as best as possible again, for my part to return to clay and be able to gain confidence to start the tournament in the best possible way."

The Spanish pair will find out their opponents for the first round on Thursday, when the draw takes place. 

In what could be Nadal's final appearance at Roland-Garros, the American duo showed no mercy, prevailing in straight sets 6-2 6-4 to advance to the next round. 

After beating Roman Safiullin to reach the quarter-finals of the singles earlier that day, Alcaraz started slowly as the Spanish pair found themselves immediately behind. 

Nadal and Alcaraz would close the gap to 3-2, but their American opponents would continue their dominance, taking the next three games to see out the first set. 

The Spaniards started much better in the second, with the pairs trading blows and each holding their own serve. 

But the decisive break would come in the seventh game, with Krajicek and Ram going to within two games of producing an unlikely upset against the pre-tournament favourites. 

The Spaniards then missed two break points to take the game to 5-5, with the Americans missing two match points of their own in a thrilling final set. 

But it was Krajicek and Ram who would emerge victorious, dumping out Nadal in what may be his last dance on the court. 

They will face Czech Republic duo Adam Pavlsek and Thomas Machac for a place in the final on Saturday. 

Data Debrief: Nadalcaraz no match for American duo

The fairytale ending for Nadal has come to an end, but it took an impressive display from Krajicek and Ram to do so.

The Americans won 25 of their 57 return points compared to Nadal and Alcaraz's 19, and converted all three of their break points. 

Nadal is widely expected to retire from tennis later this year, with the Olympics set to represent his swansong at Roland-Garros, where he has won 14 French Open titles.

He will play in both the singles and doubles tournaments, partnering current French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz for the latter competition.

Nadal and Alcaraz will face Argentina's fourth-seeded pair Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in a difficult first-round matchup in the doubles tournament.

Nadal is one of just two players to have won Olympic gold in both singles and doubles since the sport returned to the Games in 1988, doing so at Beijing 2008 (singles) and Rio 2016 (doubles) – Nicolas Massu triumphed over both events at Athens 2004.

In the singles, Nadal will take on Hungary's Marton Fucsovics in the opening round, and the prize could be a second-round date with Djokovic, who faces Australian Matthew Ebden first.

They are on the same side of the draw as third seed Alexander Zverev, who faces Jaume Munar first, and seventh seed Taylor Fritz, who opens against Alexander Bublik.

On the opposite side of the bracket, Alcaraz will start his campaign against Hady Habib, with Britain's Cameron Norrie a potential second-round opponent.

Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev faces Rinky Hijikata in his first match, while fifth seed Alex de Minaur is a potential quarter-final opponent for Alcaraz.

Britain's Andy Murray withdrew from the singles event to concentrate on his doubles bid alongside Dan Evans on Thursday, and the duo will face Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel of Japan first.

Should they advance, home favourites Arthur Fils and Ugo Humbert could await in round two, with Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul potential quarter-final foes, though the Americans will have to overcome Canada's Milos Raonic and Felix Auger Aliassime to get that far.

Murray and Evans cannot face Nadal and Alcaraz until the final. 

Iga Swiatek is the strong favourite in the women's draw, having won four French Open titles on the Paris clay. Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu is her round-one opponent.

On her same side of the draw, there is a huge round-one clash between Naomi Osaka and 2016 silver medallist Angelique Kerber, who announced on Thursday that she will retire after the Games.

Elena Rybakina and Danielle Collins are also on that side of the draw, while Coco Gauff starts against Ajla Tomljanovic on the opposite side of the bracket.

The Spanish duo - who will also participate in the singles competition - will team up for the tournament at Roland-Garros, which begins on July 27.

Both players have fond memories of the venue with Nadal a record 14-time French Open champion, while Alcaraz landed his maiden clay-court major crown last weekend.

Nadal is expected to call time on his glittering career this year.

A gold medallist in 2008 (singles) and 2016 (doubles), the 22-time major winner is unlikely to appear at Wimbledon and will instead focus on the Olympics where, if fit, he had hoped to partner Alcaraz.

Spain's national team coach confirmed he had got his wish, saying: "One pair, which I think everyone knows and was hoping for, is Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal. Rafa and Carlos will be playing together in Paris."

Alcaraz, who will make his debut at the Games, became the youngest player in the Open Era to win the singles title at three different grand slams when he triumphed over Alexander Zverev at Roland-Garros on Sunday.

The Serb secured the top prize at the Games for the first time, completing a career golden slam with a 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) victory.

Alcaraz, who beat Djokovic at Wimbledon to claim his second grand slam of the season last month, was reduced to tears after the match, having to step away from his post-match interview.

Djokovic was full of praise for the Spaniard's performance and predicted the silver medal is only the start of his success at the Olympics.

Another epic final, Carlos Alcaraz. El Clasico," Djokovic posted on X.

"Congratulations to you and your team for an excellent Olympics. Considering your age, your energy and the way you play, you probably have 20 more Olympics ahead of you.

"Your gold will come. Until next time, amigo."

Djokovic's appearance in Paris was his fifth Games for Serbia, and he became just the second player in the Open Era to win all four grand slams, the Olympics gold medal and the ATP Tour Finals, after Andre Agassi.

He is also the oldest player to secure the top prize in either the men's or women's singles at 37 years and 74 days since the sport returned to the schedule in 1988.