"VAN" (Olympics Desk - Paris, France - 01.09.2024) :: Just outside Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros, the venue for wheelchair tennis at Paris 2024, there is a statue of the man known as the king. Rafael Nadal has won 14 French Open titles, and he is inspiring Spain’s contingent as prepare for competition in Paris.
Nadal’s influence on Spanish tennis runs deep, but the love affair with Roland Garros is eternal. Juan Carlos Ferrero, his predecessor as Spain’s poster boy, won there in 2003, while Carlos Alcaraz, the current hero coached by Ferrero, is reigning champion.
There are three Spanish hopefuls at the Paralympics: Daniel Caverzaschi, Martin de la Puente and Enrique Siscar Mosquer. The significance of their surroundings, and the reputation of the legend who made the place his own, is not lost on them.
“Roland Garros is iconic for Spanish players,” said Caverzaschi.
"It is nice to play here; there are so many role models who have won here in the past. Rafa has been my main role model in sports.
Nadal is now 38 and may have made his final Roland Garros appearance, having bowed out alongside Alcaraz in the doubles quarter-finals. The pair were affectionately dubbed ‘Nadalcaz’.
“It was pretty cool,” Caverzaschi said. “There was huge hype in Spain around that. It was fun to watch. They lost to a good doubles team, specialists. It was normal they could lose. We thought there would be an epic comeback in true Rafa style, but we loved to see it.”
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