And we thought Roger was untouchable! Rafael Nadal has grabbed the highly prized trophy that is the Olympic gold medal. Sure it won’t be the paycheck of a Wimbledon or French Open, but this form of glory matters more. It was a hard fought 4 setter, with Nadal holding out his unfancied Chilean contender Fernando Gonzales 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-3.
Men’s singles has traditionally been an upset-filled event at the Olympics, and Nadal is the first player ranked in the top five to win the gold. He stayed in the athletes’ village and said the experience rejuvenated him. “I arrived very tired,” he said. “The reason probably I won this title is because I have a fantastic time here enjoying a lot in the village. That was amazing experience for me. Always was a pleasure to know new people, no?”
And it comes as no surprise that Nadal takes over as world No. 1 today when the new rankings are issued, replacing Roger Federer. Preparations are well in train for the US Open which begins in less than 2 weeks time.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Olympics, Rafael Nadal, US Open
