Rafael Nadal Gives Fans Sneak Peek At His Olympic Training

Rafael Nadal shared a video of his preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Rafael Nadal is preparing for the clay courts at the Olympics. / Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Most of the tennis world expects Rafael Nadal to retire at the end of this season. However, that may not be a done deal as the 22-time Grand Slam champion canceled a planned tribute ceremony at the French Open.

What is certain is that Nadal will represent Spain in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Even better, the 38-year-old tennis icon is serious about his preparation for the quadrennial event.

The tennis tournaments at the Summer Games start on July 27 and will be played on the clay courts at Roland Garros. Earlier today, Nadal shared a video of himself working out on clay courts to fine-tune his game.

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Nadal disappointed many fans by passing Wimbledon this year. However, like Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka, and other star players, the quick change in court surfaces is too daunting of a task for Nadal this year.

For the first time since 1992, tennis events at the Olympics will be held on clay courts. Luckily for Nadal, he has plenty of experience in both the Olympics and at Roland Garros.

Nadal won a Gold medal in singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and another in doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Of course, Nadal's 14 French Open titles have been described as one of the greatest accomplishments in sports history.

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Earlier this month, Nadal played in what many fans and media members expected to be his final performance at Roland Garros. Nadal lost in the first round to Alexander Zverev.

After the match, Nadal said, "I don’t know (if) it’s going to be the last time that I’m going to be here in front of all of you. Honestly, I’m not 100% sure, but if it’s last time, I enjoy it, no?"

The odds may be stacked against Nadal in this year's Olympics, but it is never wise to count out one of the greatest players of all time. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

Further Reading: Roger Federer explains why Jannik Sinner deserves the #1 ranking.