Rafael Nadal took a sly dig at Novak Djokovic for his decision to stay outside the Olympic Village during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Novak Djokovic (L) and Rafael Nadal (via Imago)
Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal took an indirect dig at his rival Novak Djokovic for his decision to not stay at the Olympic Village during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Nadal said that if an athlete is competing at the Olympics, they should stay in the official accommodation.
Nadal admitted that although the conditions at the Olympics are not the same as other tournaments, there should not be a problem with being less comfortable once in four years. The Spaniard also took part in the Summer Games but failed to win a medal in both the singles and the doubles.
Quite a few top athletes, including the US basketball team and the US women’s tennis team comprising Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, opted to stay out of the Games Village. Many had complaints about the cardboard beds, the lack of air conditioning, and the quality of the food. Meanwhile, Nadal stayed at the Village throughout the tournament his time in the French capital.
Before the start of the 2024 Paris Olympics, a member of the Serbian team’s organizing committee had announced that Novak Djokovic would not be joining his compatriots in the Olympic Village. Djokovic later explained his decision, stating that his issue was around privacy and not about the facilities.
While Djokovic admitted that staying in the Olympic Village is one of the best experiences for a player, he admitted that he wanted more privacy in his bid to win the elusive gold medal.
The decision to stay away from the Village did pay off for Djokovic as he went on to win the gold medal in the men’s singles event, beating the likes of Rafael Nadal in the second round and Carlos Alcaraz in the final. The former World No. 1 later hailed it as his biggest sporting success and claimed that his “puzzle” was finally complete with that win.