Rafael Nadal recently opened up about the overwhelming emotions he experienced during the **Paris Olympics 2024**. The Spanish tennis legend admitted that sharing a historic moment with **Serena Williams** brought him to tears.
Nadal had the honor of **carrying the Olympic torch** at the opening ceremony, symbolizing his legendary career. A two-time Olympic gold medalist (singles in **2008 Beijing**, doubles in **2016 Rio**), he reflected on the emotional weight of the moment during an appearance on the **Served Podcast** with Andy Roddick.
#### **Nadal’s Emotional Admission**
Nadal revealed he broke down in tears just before boarding the boat on the **River Seine** for the ceremony:
> *“I was nervous because I don't know what's going to be, but for me, when we see the image—I’m going up the stairs to pick up the torch—I had like two minutes of waiting there. In that moment, I realized the significance, and I started to cry a little bit before.”*
He had to mentally prepare himself to savor the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity:
> *“I told myself, ‘Shut up, man. Stop it. It’s not the moment to cry. It’s the moment to enjoy.’ So I tried to control my emotions, just enjoy the moment, and have fun.”*
#### **Nadal’s Olympic Performance**
Despite the emotional high, Nadal’s Olympic campaign ended in the second round with a loss to longtime rival **Novak Djokovic**.
#### **Nadal on Facing Djokovic: Grass vs. Hard Courts**
During the podcast, Nadal also discussed his rivalry with Djokovic, noting that **grass courts** favored him more than hard courts:
> *“Of course, my game adapts well to clay, but I love playing on fast courts. My second-best surface was grass. Honestly, I preferred playing Novak on grass than on hard courts.”*
While Nadal has retired, Djokovic continues to compete, though his recent form has been shaky (e.g., an early exit at **Indian Wells 2025**).
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