If Carlos Alcaraz can win just one title in 2024, the Spanish tennis star would pick the Olympic gold medal.
Alcaraz, who won the U.S. Open and Wimbledon the last two years, said last week that his goals this year are to win another one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, plus an Olympic medal. He added that, if he could only have one of those things, it would be the Olympic gold medal because it would be a dream realized, according to Spanish media.
Alcaraz made the comments at an exhibition last week in his home region of Murcia, where he beat countryman Roberto Bautista Agut in the Carlos Alcaraz Cup.
While some tennis players put the Olympics a level below the four Slams, Alcaraz has repeatedly spoken highly of the Games.
Before last year’s French Open, he said it would “be a dream” to play doubles with countryman Rafael Nadal at the Paris Games, which will be contested at Roland Garros, where Nadal has won a record 14 French Open titles.
Nadal, who is 37 years old to Alcaraz’s 20, has repeated that 2024 will likely be his final season before retiring. Nadal missed 11 months due to a hip injury that required surgery, returning to match play on Tuesday in Brisbane, Australia.
Alcaraz’s biggest obstacle to an individual Olympic gold medal may be Serbian Novak Djokovic, the only player ranked ahead of him. Djokovic has won every significant title in the sport except Olympic gold.
