Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal ask for fan help ahead of Olympics link-up

Carlos Alcaraz has asked his Instagram followers to suggest names for his 2024 Olympic Games tennis partnership with Rafael Nadal. The reigning French Open champion returns to Roland Garros this summer to fulfil a childhood dream and battle for a gold medal with Nadal, one of the Spaniard's idols.

The tennis event in Paris starts on Saturday, July 27, and runs until August 4 as Alcaraz aims to add to his incredible honours at the age of 21.

His second successive Wimbledon triumph - beating seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets earlier this month - was his fourth Grand Slam.

On either side of last summer's memorable success at SW19, Alcaraz lifted his maiden French Open at the start of the year and made the US Open his first major title in 2022.

An Olympic gold medal is now in his sights as part of an all-star pairing with Nadal, and he took to Instagram to ask his followers what the team should be called.

Sharing an image of the pair smiling together on the court at Roland Garros, donning matching Spanish Olympic jackets, Alcaraz asked: "What should this doubles pair be called?"

Nadal had some doubles practice as he partnered Norway's Casper Ruud at the Nordea Open last week, reaching the semi-finals before he made the difficult decision to withdraw.

Not because of injury but due to his run to the singles final in Bastad, where he suffered a 3-6 2-6 defeat to Portugal's Nuno Borges.

During his enjoyable campaign alongside Ruud, the duo earned the nickname 'Ruudal', a combination of both their surnames.

Nadal is no stranger to joint nicknames after years of fans describing him and one of his main rivals and closest peers, Roger Federer, as 'Fedal'.

While Alcaraz is very much on the ascendency and Nadal is in his twilight years, the former has made it clear that he will follow the 22-time Grand Slam winner's lead in Paris.

When asked by ABC Sports whether he had spoken to Nadal much about the Olympics ahead of travelling to Paris, Alcaraz said: "Not much. He's also doing his thing, we're doing ours.

"We talk very little, but when we're at the Games, we'll talk about doubles and, above all, how we're going to do it. I'm not nervous right now. When the time comes, I will be.

"And yes, obviously, he's already experienced this. He already knows what it's like to play in the Olympics, to win a gold in both singles and doubles.

"I'm new. I'm the rookie here, so I have to keep my mouth shut and just listen to him."