The Paris 2024 Olympic Games They are just around the corner. In some disciplines, there are still places to be assigned. In the case of tennis, The names that will be representing Spain in this spectacular event that is held every four years are known. However, the mess over the allocation of places is served.
He who has no doubt that he will be leading will be Carlos Alcaraz, number three in the world, who is already in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. There is also no doubt about the number one in the world in doubles, Marcel Granollers. Which fuels medal expectations for the national group.
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Roland Garros is the last Grand Slam that counted to determine which tennis players will attend the Olympic event. Rafa Nadal and Pablo Carreño did not pass the first round of the second slam it’s from the season. Each Olympic Committee can classify up to 12 tennis players -six per sex-, represented by a maximum of four players – the best ranked in the country – in each individual draw, two registered in the doubles draw and only one registration in mixed doubles. According to this rule, Neither Nadal nor Carreño, due to their position in the ATP classification, would be in the Olympic event.
In the case of the ATP ranking, the one that leads in Spain is Carlos Alcaraz (3rd), followed by Alejandro Davidovich (32nd), Pedro Martínez (48th) and Roberto Carballés (63rd). However, of these four best classified, only the first two will go, since both Martínez and Carballés will be replaced by Nadal (275th) and Carreño (1,049th). These two will make use of their protected ranking, position 9 and 18 respectively, which would allow them to be in Paris this coming summer. This condition allows them to play up to nine tournaments, in the case of Nadal, after he fell in the ranking due to his injury at the 2022 Australian Open, and in Carreño’s case due to his tendonitis.
Pedro Martínez, number 48 in the ATP ranking and third best-ranked Spaniard, expressed his disagreement with this situation to Relevo: “In this case protected ranking is an injustice because neither of them has missed an Olympic Games due to being injured, beyond it being Rafa, “We all want to see it at the Olympic Games, including me as a fan.” “I don’t see it as entirely fair. It is as if I am injured now and in four years I use the protected ranking in the Los Angeles Games,” he added to his complaint.
“The games are a special event and I think This year I deserve to go to the Olympic Games. And not going for a situation like that is a bit unfair. But I can’t control it and that’s it. “I was very excited to go to the Olympic Games and even more so here in Paris,” he expressed his disagreement with the situation, but assuming that there is nothing more he can do about it, just hope that due to injury one of the two will not finally be able to travel to Paris.
The only hope to be able to be in the Games this year is that Pedro Martínez is chosen to play the doubles with Marcel Granollers. Couples must be approved by David Ferrer. The Nadal-Alcaraz doubles is more than confirmed, but for the second, Pedro Martínez still has hope. “Marcel can choose, I have to talk to David and ask him a little about the situation. It is an issue that I have to try to fight to have a place because I really believe that I deserve it,” insists Pedro Martínez. “I have been doing a great job and I have won many games this year. But If it doesn’t depend on me, I can’t control it.”
