In less than two months, the world’s best tennis players will return to the courts of Roland Garros, just weeks after leaving them, to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This year’s Olympic program presents unique challenges, as athletes must quickly adapt from clay to grass and back to clay before moving on to hard courts in North America.
Unlike the seamless logistics of the 2012 London Olympics, where players simply moved from Wimbledon to the Olympic Village, the current landscape is far more complex. Players at Rio 2016 faced the threat of the Zika virus, while Tokyo 2021 brought strict COVID-19 protocols and empty stadiums.
The 2024 Games require a sharp transition from the slow clay of Roland Garros to the fast grass of Wimbledon, and a return to clay before the hard-court season. That’s especially favorable for Iga Swiatek, the world No. 1 and clay-court specialist who has dominated the French Open in recent years.
For many others, including American players Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Sebastian Korda, the timing is not ideal. Tiafoe, who opted out of the Games to focus on hard court preparation and potentially watching LeBron James and Stephen Curry play together, expressed mixed feelings.
Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur also withdrew due to injury concerns, with Jabeur highlighting the difficulty of adapting to different surfaces while managing a knee injury.
Chris Eubanks, however, seized the opportunity, eager to experience the Olympic spirit despite clay being his worst surface. The Olympic opening ceremony takes place just before the start of the tennis tournament, adding logistical challenges.
Despite these obstacles, top players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are determined to participate. Nadal will team up with Carlos Alcaraz, while Djokovic is looking for his elusive Olympic gold, having come close but failed to win in four attempts.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) proudly announced that 22 of the top 30 men and women will compete in Paris. ITF President Dave Haggerty emphasized the importance of tennis in the Olympics, noting the sport's growth since its reintroduction in 1988.
Unlike traditional tennis tournaments, the Olympics offer no prize money or ranking points, focusing solely on the honor of competing and winning a medal. This purity, Haggerty says, adds to the Games' allure.
For players like Danielle Collins and Coco Gauff, the Olympics are a bucket-list event, offering a unique opportunity to mix with athletes from a variety of disciplines. Daniil Medvedev, who enjoyed the Tokyo Games, is looking forward to the Paris experience despite the challenges of balancing his career and Olympic aspirations.
Carlos Alcaraz, eager to compete in the Olympics for the first time, is ready to give everything for his country and then develop a strategy for the US Open.