Rafael Nadal expresses frustration over Paris Olympics tennis schedule

Rafael Nadal has expressed dissatisfaction with the scheduling at the Paris Olympics, which may lead to his withdrawal from the singles event.

The Spanish tennis star and his doubles partner, Carlos Alcaraz, secured a victory in their opening match against Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, winning 7-6(4), 6-4 late on Saturday night. This win advanced them to the second round.

Nadal's concern arises from the tight scheduling, as his singles match is scheduled for 2 pm on Sunday, shortly after their doubles match concluded around 10 pm on Saturday. "A 2:00 p.m. game? I don't understand the schedule. It seems outrageous to me when I'm playing at two o'clock," Nadal remarked to the media.

Nadal, who has been dealing with a thigh injury, played the doubles match with his upper right leg taped. Despite this, he showed no signs of impaired movement during the one-hour, 47-minute match.

Nadal's potential withdrawal from the singles competition is pending a decision after consulting with his team. He stated, "I don't know if I'll play tomorrow. I'll have to go back to the village and talk to the team. I'll make the decision that I think is most appropriate to have a chance of getting results for Spain. Sometimes less is more."

If Nadal does compete, he will face Hungary's Marton Fucsovics in the first round. A win could set up a highly anticipated match against Novak Djokovic, who advanced to the second round with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 victory over Australia's Matthew Ebden.

Nadal, a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008 Beijing singles and 2016 Rio doubles), reflected positively on his doubles match with Alcaraz, praising the high level of play and determination shown in critical moments. The duo's next opponents will be the winners of the match between Dutchmen Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof, and Hungarians Marton Fucsovics and Fabian Marozsan.