Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz have been spotted bonding off the court in the Olympic Village, playing the world-famous board game Parchi, commonly known as Ludo. This candid moment, captured supposedly by an insider in the Village, quickly went viral. This sparked interest in the growing bond between these two Spanish tennis stars.
In the photo, Nadal and Alcaraz, along with some members of their contingent, are seen deeply engrossed in a game of Parchi. Alcaraz, known for his competitive spirit on the court, looked equally intense and focused while playing the board game.
Rafa Nadal is addicted to the board game “Parchís”. He always plays with his team before every match.
— TheNewGen (@thenewgenatp) July 30, 2024
Now he is playing with Carlitos. Because it is the obligation of parents to educate their children pic.twitter.com/z18Qv2NBwG
This playful interaction between the two athletes delighted fans, who were thrilled to see their camaraderie. Fans took to social media to share their excitement and amusement over the viral photo.
Nadal and Alcaraz playing Ludo at the Olympic village has gone viral and how! pic.twitter.com/g6IC6dcOLN
— Wide World of Tennis (@tennisfan_dkr) July 31, 2024
This off-court bonding moment has only increased the anticipation for their on-court performances. Regardless of the final outcome at the Olympics, this pairing that could be the most iconic in tennis for a long time.
Nadal and Alcaraz fight on against Ram and Krajicek
Nadal and Alcaraz’s men’s doubles quarter-final match on Wednesday was set to be the biggest challenge for them. Their opponents from the United States, Rajiv Ram and Austin Krajicek are doubles specialists.
Making the most of their experience in the category, Ram and Krajicek raced to a 6-2 win in the first set. However, the second set was more intense. At the time of writing this report, the teams were locked in a 3-3 battle in the second set.
Tennis fans in the US can catch the live streaming on NBC Sports. While those in the UK can tune in to BBC Sport for all the action.
Additionally, Alcaraz has a singles match coming up against Tommy Paul. Where he will look to continue his impressive form. His singles match is set for 1st August at 10am CET.
These back-to-back matches could take a toll on Alcaraz, as he wont get much time for recovery. However, given his endurance and ability to outperform the greatest athletes, we think he will be just fine.
